SK develops integrated module to identify illegal drones

[Courtesy of SK telecom Co.]

South Korean mobile carrier SK telecom Co. announced on Thursday that it developed a ‘communication·AI integrated module’ based on artificial intelligence (AI) technology to determine drones’ legality.

‘Anti-drone’ technology is gaining attention as illegal drones can threaten major national infrastructure such as nuclear power plants and airports.

SK telecom has been participating in the ‘Illegal Drone Intelligent Response Technology Development Project,’ organized by the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute since 2021. It has now developed a module for LTE communication and AI image analysis required for drone flight and mission execution.

The newly developed module connects drones and ground control systems to commercial LTE networks to transmit status and control messages. It also uses deep learning algorithms to analyze images captured by cameras and determine whether a drone is illegal, according to SK telecom. Based on this information, response drones can be deployed to neutralize illegal drones.

SK telecom has completed the production and verification of prototypes and is currently conducting integrated testing for comprehensive system validation. It plans to exhibit the prototype module at the Unmanned system World Congress (UWC) 2024, which will be held at COEX from July 17th, 2024, to July 19th.