Spain’s Counter-UAS efforts were recognised at INTERPOL’s closing meeting for Project COURAGEOUS last week. During the meeting, Spain was referred to as a key partner in contributing to the development of a standardised test methodology for detecting, tracking and identifying illicit drones. According to Christopher Church, Senior Mobile Forensics Specialist at INTERPOL, Spain played a “pivotal role in evaluating the performance of countermeasures under real-world conditions, enabling the project team to gather valuable data and insights”.
In coordination with the Spanish National Police and Guardia Civil, the Spanish Ministry of Interior held several validation trials under Project COURAGEOUS to test and evaluate several Counter-UAS systems. The trials were held in airports and stadiums, among other locations, with the aim of enhancing the protection of public spaces, events and borders.
In an exclusive quote for the CUAS Hub, Chief Inspector Ángel Manuel Siles Garcia, Head of Airspace Security and Protection at the Spanish National Police stated that “the National Police has been part of the COURAGEOUS Project from the beginning, and has provided qualified UAS and C-UAS operators from the Security and Air Protection Area to carry out the practical exercises and tests, as well as technical personnel in electronics and telecommunications for the technical assessment and supervision of the systems and procedures applied during the different trials”.
Chief Inspector Siles Garcia also highlighted some of the current Counter-UAS priorities for the Spanish National Police, which “include several critical aspects due to the rapid advancement of drone technology and its proliferation in various areas”, reflecting “the need for a multidimensional approach that combines technology, regulation, training, and international cooperation to effectively address the challenges posed by drones today”. He continued, “these priorities focus on security, regulation, and technological innovation. Continuous technological innovation involves investing in R&D to develop new solutions and improve existing ones in the fight against unauthorized drones”.
INTERPOL’s official video for Project COURAGEOUS also highlighted that “Spain is one of the first countries to create a national network for detecting and neutralising drones. It’s called SIGLO-CD”. The SIGLO-CD system is designed to enable the remote detection, identification, tracking, and monitoring of most commercial drones, particularly those following widely used protocols, flying over the urban area of Madrid. Additionally, it allows for the neutralization of UAS flying over critical infrastructure and state institution facilities, such as the Royal Palace, the Government Presidency, and the Congress and Senate.
Post Image Credit: El Radar
