Security at a higher level…

We recently completed a study into the added value of drones. Drones that preventively prevent security incidents or act reactively during the response phase, where effectiveness and efficiency have been assessed.

Summary of the study.

Due to the tight labor market, the security industry is also looking for alternatives. A changing threat landscape also means that the industry is constantly working to optimize security processes. Drones can meet this need and offer perspective. Our previous studies have already shown that drones can make an important contribution to the integral security of an organization. However, it was not always clear how and at what time a drone can be of added value.

The aim of our last research was to gain insight into whether a drone is of added value for the security of an organization. The following research question has been formulated for this purpose: To what extent are drones, which preventively prevent security incidents or act reactively during the response phase, of added value in which effectiveness and efficiency are assessed?

Literature study, interviews, observations and desk research show that the technical developments of drones follow each other at lightning speed. The security industry is also seeing more and more drone applications, such as: drone teams, spider control, drone-in-the-box and tethered drones. These concepts show that drones can be equipped with all kinds of sensors and other payloads such as: a thermal or infrared camera, a radar, acoustic and CBRN sensors, a floodlight and loudspeaker, a Wi-Fi hotspot, a jammer or even weaponry.

The research results have shown that drones can make an important contribution to the prevention, management or termination of incidents in which physical security is compromised. Drones can take on the role of a means of prevention, detection, information provision and intervention. In addition, research results show that drones enable a more effective intervention. Drones can verify alarms better, faster and more securely. Also, the deployment of a drone makes information-driven operations possible. Finally, a drone can contribute to a safer intervention.

During the investigation, four real security incidents were analyzed. This has shown that a drone has a positive effect on the security return. The results also show that a drone is an efficient means of improving the (physical) security of an organization. Partly as a result of the low operating costs, savings in or shifting the focus of security guards, reduction in operational delays and the creation of value for the entire organization through an integrated approach. Nevertheless, it is important to observe the conditions and caveats when deploying a drone, so that effectiveness and efficiency are guaranteed.

Finally, explorative data analysis of an alarm response database has shown that the deployment of a drone can optimize the alarm response process. The research has shown that when deploying a drone, there is a good balance between effectiveness and efficiency.

A drone that prevents security incidents or acts reactively during the response phase is therefore of added value.

Please contact us if you want to know more about why to use drones in security and how to do that in the most successful way.