[On Site] Drone-Catching Drones Deployed at Busan Port...AI Shield Protects the Skies

Busan Port Anti-Drone Demonstration
24-Hour Surveillance with Radar, AI, and Capture Drones

On the afternoon of July 2, above the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal, a small dot appeared on one side of the integrated control room monitor. Although nothing was visible to the human eye, the radar had already detected an unidentified flying object. Soon after, the RF scanner analyzed the drone’s control signals, and the EO·IR (electro-optical and infrared) camera automatically zoomed in on the target. A black drone appeared clearly on the monitor.

"Identification complete." It took only a few seconds. Before anyone could even look up at the sky, the system had already finished "detection, identification, and tracking."

At the anti-drone demonstration held on the 2nd at Busan Port, a capture drone is chasing to completely neutralize an illegally intruding drone. Photo by Nahum Kang

Radar detects, jammer blocks... even drones that capture other drones

The anti-drone demonstration held by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and the Busan Port Authority on this day was based on a hypothetical scenario in which an unidentified drone carrying explosives infiltrated the airspace above the Busan Port International Passenger Terminal. The entire process from detection to neutralization and handling of explosives took about 15 minutes. This demonstrated that port security is shifting away from human observation, becoming increasingly centered on radar, artificial intelligence (AI), and radio frequency analysis equipment.

The anti-drone system at Busan Port begins with radar. If an approaching aircraft is detected up to 3 kilometers away, the RF scanner analyzes the communication frequency of the drone. Next, the EO·IR camera automatically tracks the target, and the operator uses the magnified footage to make the final confirmation as to whether it is a drone or a bird.

On the control screen, the drone's location, trajectory, and altitude were displayed in real time. A representative from the developer explained, "Rather than the operator manually moving the camera, the radar sends the coordinates and the camera automatically follows that position. In environments like ports, where there are many cranes and vessels and seagulls fly around constantly, the key is to use multiple devices together to reduce false detections."

When the neutralization phase began, an agent lifted a large cylindrical device onto their shoulder and took aim. Although the device resembled a gun, it emitted radio waves instead of bullets. Once aimed, the jammer directed radio waves at the target drone.

A jammer is a device that interrupts the communication signals between a drone and its controller, as well as its satellite navigation (GNSS) signals. When a drone cannot receive control commands or loses its location information, it becomes difficult to continue flying. At Busan Port, both fixed and mobile jammers have been installed; the fixed jammers can neutralize drones within a range of up to 1 kilometer, while the mobile jammers are effective up to 500 meters.

The highlight of the demonstration was the capture drone. When the control operator gave the command over the radio, the capture drone on standby on the ground began to spin its propellers. The aircraft, appearing two to three times larger than a typical camera drone, took off with a deep motor sound. Underneath the drone was a folded net launcher.

The capture drone approached the target drone, maintaining a certain distance and matching its speed, then launched the net to completely neutralize the target. The captured drone, entangled in the net, was then transported to a safe area for inspection for explosives.

What stood out was not simply "shooting down" the drone, but "capturing" it. Dropping a drone directly in the middle of the port could cause secondary damage to ships, vehicles, or passengers. Therefore, the Busan Port system opted to safely retrieve the drone mid-air after blocking its signals. In the demonstration, the capture drone was also shown tracking the target while maintaining a set distance.

High-performance EOIR camera equipped with AI-based deep learning algorithms. Photo by Nahum Kang.

55 breaches at Busan Port in a single year... Security system completed

As the largest trading port in Korea, Busan Port is particularly vulnerable to drone threats. With the international passenger terminal, container terminals, hazardous materials handling facilities, and large vessels all clustered together, concerns have been consistently raised about potential abuse for terrorism, illegal filming, or evasion of smuggling surveillance. In fact, from July last year to this July, 55 cases of illegal drone appearances were recorded.

The anti-drone system project at Busan Port began with a resolution by the National Counter-Terrorism Council in February 2023. In October 2024, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries and Busan Port Authority signed a business agreement, and equipment installation began in 2025. Since June this year, a full-scale, 24-hour real-time surveillance system has been operating throughout Busan Port. The total budget allocated was approximately 6.4 billion won.

Radar and RF scanners have been distributed across North Port, Gamcheon Port, and Busan New Port, and integrated control is managed from the comprehensive control centers at North Port, Gamcheon Port, and New Port. When radar or RF scanners detect an abnormal aircraft, the integrated control system immediately initiates the same response procedures as demonstrated on this day.

The project is characterized by connecting radar, RF scanners, EO·IR cameras, jammers, and capture drones into a single integrated platform, automating the entire process from detection and identification to tracking and neutralization. The era in which humans watched the sky is shifting to a system in which sensors and AI first detect threats, and people provide the final response, fundamentally changing the paradigm of port security.

A representative from Busan Port Authority stated, "With the establishment of this system, we now have a framework to respond quickly onsite—from detection and identification to neutralization. As Busan Port is a key national logistics facility, we plan to further enhance the system through regular joint training with related agencies, ensuring immediate response capabilities in real situations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.