Passive physical barriers
Physical protection against drones using netting, mesh and cages, which sit outside the spectrum and operating-authority rules that constrain everything else in this segment.
This is the one measure covered here that involves a structure and a specification rather than spectrum, authority or certification.
The supply side is unusual. Most of the manufacturers offering anti-drone netting are general industrial netting companies that have added the application, so the structural and loading questions are well covered while the aerial performance questions, such as aperture against the aircraft sizes of concern, are frequently not.
Why this is live now
- Passive barriers transmit nothing and intercept nothing, so the operating-authority and spectrum questions that govern detection and mitigation do not arise.
- Specification covers span, mesh aperture, breaking strain, mounting and the wind and snow loading the supporting structure must carry, since a barrier transfers load into whatever holds it up.
- Most current suppliers are general industrial netting manufacturers rather than counter-drone specialists, so the aerial application is often outside their usual design case.
- Interest has been driven largely by battlefield use, which has not yet translated into a developed commercial offer.
Who this is for
- Correctional facilities managing contraband delivery
- Industrial and utility sites protecting specific assets
- Yards, compounds and equipment stores
- Operators wanting protection without a regulatory approval path
What we would do
The advisory and analytical work we provide in this area.
- Assessing whether a physical barrier addresses the actual exposure at a site, or only appears to
- Specification covering span, mesh dimension, mounting and load, and what the structure must carry
- Comparing a barrier against a detection approach on cost and on what each actually prevents
- Sourcing guidance, since most current suppliers are general netting manufacturers rather than specialists
FAQ
▸Does netting actually stop a drone?
Against a specific, bounded target such as a yard, an exercise area or a piece of equipment, a properly specified barrier physically prevents delivery or close approach, which no sensor does. It protects only what it covers, it does nothing about surveillance from above it, and battlefield footage shows barriers being defeated deliberately. It is a narrow measure that works well within its limits.
▸Is any approval needed?
Not of the kind the rest of this segment requires, because nothing is transmitted and no aircraft is interfered with. The constraints are ordinary ones, meaning structural loading, planning and permitting where applicable, and site safety.
▸Why is this on a list with certification and grant work?
Because it is the one measure here that is a physical product rather than a regulated capability. It requires no operating authority, it works within clear limits, and at certain sites it is the most proportionate option available.