Monitoring in near-real time for amateur UAVs using the AIS

Abstract

The use of drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) for commercial or leisure purposes is increasingly common in our society. However, UAVs can also be used for other purposes that may compromise the privacy and safety of the population. For this reason, it has become necessary to enable the monitoring and identification of UAVs through a radio system with a license to avoid unwanted interferences. This article proposes the AIS (Automatic Identification System) as an alternative to monitor drone activities in near-real time. To do this, a prototype has been designed and integrated in an amateur UAV unit, enabling the transmission of UAV parameters through this system. AIS density testing has been carried out in selected zones of Gran Canaria (Spain), demonstrating the compatibility between the canonical usage of the AIS for vessels and its new proposed purpose for amateur UAVs.