The Miami International Airport (MIA) was selected by the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as a test site for new drone detection technology. The drone detection technology includes detect, track and identify (DTI) equipment which will be used to identify unauthorized drones that enter restricted airspace.
MIA was chosen as a test site in part because there is already a “perimeter protection pilot” program being tested there, according to the TSA. The perimeter protection system, along with the DTI technology, are designed to protect the airport from ground and aerial intrusions.
The perimeter protection system includes thermal sensors, 360-degree cameras and infrared illuminators. The DTI equipment allows airport personnel to gather information about the height, altitude, direction, speed, type and operators of unidentified crafts. According to the TSA, the focus of the DTI equipment will be to identify non-compliant drone operators, whether criminal or negligent, to prevent unauthorized entry. It is anticipated that the DTI equipment will be updated every two to three months to accommodate changing technology and threats.
Information gathered by this DTI equipment will be available to airport authorities via a tablet system.