Drone is heard: UAV jammers can actually be equated to weapons
In October, the State Commission on Radio Frequencies will consider a proposal for mandatory coordination of the use of electronic jamming equipment with the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Izvestia learned. Experts believe that this actually equates jammers to weapons. The uncontrolled mass use of such funds by citizens and businesses is already creating problems — for example, they can affect aviation electronics and disrupt navigation for drivers, experts say. Izvestia investigated how these measures would affect reducing the risks of indiscriminate use of jammers.
Who gets in the way of drone blockers
Users of electronic means to suppress control, navigation and data transmission from drones (RAP) may be required to coordinate their placement and use with the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. The State Commission on Radio Frequencies (SCR) will consider this issue at a meeting in October, according to its materials, which were reviewed by Izvestia. The corresponding changes are planned to be introduced into the regulatory document regulating RAP.
Izvestia sent requests to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Finance, which oversees the work of the State Emergency Committee.
In fact, such a measure equates various kinds of means for jamming drones to weapons — it will now be necessary to coordinate their operation by analogy, for example, with hunting rifles, says Denis Kuskov, CEO of TelecomDaily. So far, no serious incidents related to the uncontrolled use of RAP have been reported, while motorists regularly report a deterioration in the quality of communication and navigation on roads where the blockers are installed without permission, he added.
"In this case, the state is proactive, without waiting for the onset of serious consequences of a spontaneous fight against UAVs, for example, in the field of air transportation," the expert noted.
This is not the first government measure aimed at the uncontrolled use of drone radio blockers, experts say. Drone jammers are electronic devices, therefore, in the Russian Federation, anyone who wants to use such equipment must obtain permission from Roskomnadzor, Leonid Konik, a partner at ComNews Research, recalled.
— In July 2024, the SCR has already introduced an additional requirement for a radio frequency application in one of the decisions. Anyone requesting frequencies for UAV jammers must attach to the application the written consent of the Ministry of Defense for the purchase of electronic jamming equipment designed to counter unmanned vehicles in order to protect individual facilities," he explained.
However, according to the expert, in practice, many ignore the law and use devices without any permits. Not only security companies are involved, but also management companies in housing and communal services, gardening associations, and individual railway stations, Denis Kuskov previously told Izvestia. Therefore, it would be logical to entrust the identification of such persons to the internal affairs bodies, Leonid Konik believes.
In many regions, the operation of navigation systems is disrupted by RAP systems, added Andrey Yablokov, Deputy General Director of the Aeroscript Research Center, Aeronet NTI expert. According to him, they also affect the avionics of manned aircraft. Their use needs to be streamlined, he believes.
How to streamline the use of jammers
Experts disagree on how justified it is to involve the Ministry of Internal Affairs in monitoring jammers.
Leonid Konik believes that the new system will lead to a "doubling down" of procedures for approving the use of REP tools: the purchase of equipment already requires permission from the Ministry of Defense, and in the future it will also require a separate consent from the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the possibility of deployment and use. Therefore, it is more logical to put all licensing procedures in one hand (for example, the Ministry of Defense or Roskomnadzor), and use the resources of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to combat illegal radio suppression equipment, he believes.
Dmitry Gorbunov, partner of Rustam Kurmaev & Partners, on the contrary, considers this measure logical and necessary. In the context of the Department of Internal Affairs' functionality, the coordination of the placement of RAP funds fits succinctly into the overall system of law enforcement coordination, he believes. In his opinion, it completes the formation of an integrated approach to monitoring the use of such funds.
— The measure is particularly important in the context of ensuring the safety of critical infrastructure and the public. From a technical point of view, the implementation of this requirement at the level of the Ministry of Internal Affairs is quite feasible, because the territorial bodies of the Ministry of Internal Affairs already have a well-developed infrastructure for reviewing various approvals and permits. Most likely, special forces can be formed in them, which will consider applications for approval of the placement of RAP funds," he said.
The initiative is also supported by Ilya Shevelev, Deputy Director of Laboratory of the Future. He noted that there is no single body in the country that could monitor which RAP systems are operating and to whom they belong. Uncontrolled jammers cause damage to companies operating unmanned aircraft: they can fall, including on a person or a car, cause harm to health, and collide with other aircraft.
The placement and application of RAP should be handled by the competent authorities — the Ministry of Internal Affairs or the Air Traffic Control Organization (ATM), since this organization coordinates issues with flights, he says. Perhaps they could take over the dispatching functions for managing RAP systems, Ilya Shevelev concludes.
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