“New technology will be used to thwart drone attacks at Australia’s major airports as the aviation industry beefs up its fight against the increasing possibility that remote-controlled aircraft could bring down passenger planes. Peter Gibson of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) said drones that breach 5½-kilometre exclusion zones around airports will from next month be electronically scanned for serial numbers and the owner’s location, allowing the drone’s operator to be tracked down within minutes. The mobile technology also opens the door for eradicating rogue drones from major fires, where water-bombing aircraft could be put at risk. The decision comes as Britain grapples with the aftermath of grounded planes at Gatwick Airport after drones were suspected of infiltrating the restricted airspace, causing mass chaos in the lead up to Christmas. The threat from drones is a real one. British Security Minister Ben Wallace revealed this week that UK intelligence agencies had uncovered sketches of drones armed with bombs in recent raids as they prepare for a ‘resurgent’ Al Qaeda and its apparent plans to attack commercial aircraft in 2019.”
Source: New drone-hunting tech to roll out at major Australian airports