Summary: Effective drone detection methods may deploy layers of technologies—such as Remote ID, RF spectrum sensing, radar systems, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), and acoustic sensors—to identify both drones and their operators.

No single method covers all threats, while Remote ID covers most use-cases, a few organizations may adopt a blend of systems to spot line-of-sight and non-broadcasting drones. This layered strategy enables faster detection, better pilot/location tracking, and a stronger defence posture against unauthorised aerial incursions.

As drones become more accessible to the average person, the number of airspace incursions is rising. Many of these incidents are accidental, caused by inexperienced hobbyists who may not understand flight restrictions or the risks of flying near sensitive areas. The article Drone Sightings Near Airports highlights that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) receives over 100 reports of unauthorized drone operations near airports every month, and emphasizes that drone operators may not understand the dangers or regulations, especially around aircraft and airports.

This is just one example of the increase in unauthorized drone incursions. Drone incursions are not limited to airports—there were over 13,000 drone incursions reported at U.S. power-generation facilities in 2024 alone. The NFL notes that incidents during NFL games skyrocketed from 67 in 2018 to 2,845 in 2023—a dramatic increase of over 4,100%. Clearly, no public space or critical infrastructure is immune to drone incursions, whether purposeful or not.

Organizations are turning to a variety of drone detection methods: Radio Frequency (RF) to track drones and locate operators, radar detects drone incursions even if they aren’t broadcasting the legally required Remote ID signal, EO/IR cameras to confirm visuals, and acoustic sensors to capture sound signatures. Each of these drone detection methods has pros and cons. To understand which of these you need, read more below.

As drones proliferate across industries, understanding drone detection methods is essential to maintain airspace awareness and operational control. Whether safeguarding critical infrastructure, corporate campuses, correctional facilities, or public events, choosing the right technology is key.

What Is Drone Detection?

Drone detection uses electronic sensors to identify and locate drones—and often their pilots.. It’s the first step toward threat response.

Learn more about detection fundamentals on our What Is Drone Detection? page.

Drone Detection Method 1 - Radio Frequency (RF)

Monitors communications between drone and pilot via Wi‑Fi, Frequency Hopping Spectrum (FHSS), Wideband Frequency Modulation (WBFM), or Long Term Evolution (Cellular LTE).

The only method that reliably locates both drone and pilot and supports Remote ID compliance.

What Information Can You Gather Using This Method of Drone Detection?

• GPS of drone/pilot, speed, heading, Remote ID broadcast data

Drone Detection Method 2 - Radar

Emits RF pulses; analyzes micro-Doppler to detect drones in motion, even silent ones.
Sends out radio signals and measures tiny changes in the signal reflection to spot drones moving through the air—even if they’re quiet.

Operates regardless of lighting or weather conditions, but requires line-of-sight.

What Information Can You Gather Using This Method of Drone Detection?

• Size, altitude, bearing, micro-Doppler data.

Drone Detection Method 3 - Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR)

Offers visual or thermal confirmation via high-resolution cameras.
Best used in tandem with other methods as it can be limited by weather and line-of-sight.

What Information Can You Gather Using This Method of Drone Detection?

• EO/IR: Visual shape, payload, pilot image (where visible).

Drone Detection Method 4 - Acoustic Sensors

Detect drone motor noise to estimate bearing and distance—effective within 1 km, but sensitive to wind and environmental noise.

What Information Can You Gather Using This Method of Drone Detection?

• Direction, distance, and signature-based identification

Choosing the Right Drone Detection Method

For most applications, an RF with a Remote ID receiver is often sufficient on its own

A layered approach may be recommended for extremely high-risk environments, where it’s possible that very skilled nefarious actors are using technologies designed to defeat RF detection. This would include non-commercial, custom-built drones without the legally mandated Remote ID broadcast signal or advanced drones that are designed to be silent.: Add radar to detect silent drones.

Drone Detection Methods Conclusion

While radar, EO/IR, and acoustic tools provide important layers of detection, only Remote ID systems, like AirWarden® deliver the critical advantage of identifying and locating the pilot. 

This capability transforms detection into prevention, allowing security teams to address threats at the source.

Drone Detection Methods FAQs

• RF-based detection, picking up drone-controller communications and pilot uplinks/downlinks. (AeroDefense)
• Radar systems, which detect the physical drone via reflected RF pulses and micro-Doppler from propellers.
• Electro-Optical/Infrared (EO/IR) vision-based systems, which provide visual/thermal confirmation.
• Acoustic sensors, which detect the sound signature (motors, propellers) of drones.

What are the typical detection ranges for each method?

• RF-based: from several kilometers to tens of kilometers in low-interference areas. For example, spectrum sensing may detect about 5 km in ideal conditions; urban settings may reduce to 2-3 km.
• Radar: distances from hundreds of meters up to a few kilometres, depending on drone size, material, and speed.
• EO/IR: generally less range than RF/radar — around ~1.5 km in many cases, subject to weather and camera/telescope quality.
• Acoustic: shorter ranges, typically under 1 km, and heavily influenced by ambient noise, wind, and terrain.

What kinds of information can detection systems provide?

Depending on the technology:

• • • RF systems can give drone location, pilot location, speed, heading, manufacturer/model estimate, distance, and bearing.
    • Radar can provide position, speed, size estimation, bearing, altitude, and sometimes a micro-Doppler signature.
    • EO/IR: visual confirmation of drone shape, payload, flight behaviour, and sometimes model identification.
    • Note that in most drone detection applications, pilot location is essential. Pilot location lets you track the pilot down and assess their intention. Most drone incursions are due to pilot ignorance or errors, but in some cases action such as a legal referral may be needed. Only systems that help you locate the pilot enable this.
      
      

How should an organisation choose the right drone detection methods for its needs?

1. Start with a threat/risk assessment: what types of drones might operate, from where, what payload, what environment (urban vs open), how much budget.
2. Then evaluate methods. Most drone incursion applications, i.e. in civilian environments where the threat is from standard hobby drones, favor RF drone detection. In other applications, such as active military operations where stealth or fully autonomous threats are present, add radar/EO.
3. Consider legal/regulatory factors (especially if intercepting/decoding signals). And plan for integration with response workflows.