Combat drones, while powerful assets in modern warfare, could become liabilities in future conflicts due to emerging drone-hacking technologies. A new system developed by Israeli defense firm D-Fend Solutions is capable of taking control of enemy drones and even redirecting them to strike their own territory. However, this kind of operation could face limitations in heavily jammed or restricted airspace.

Figure 1. The New System Can Bring Enhanced, Expanded, And Extended C-UAS Capabilities.

Meet EnforceAir: The Anti-Drone Cyber Takeover System

The technology, known as EnforceAir, is a radio-frequency (RF)-based counter-drone system that allows operators to detect, take control of, and safely neutralize rogue unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Once a drone enters a defined perimeter, the system identifies it and can disable or assume control, allowing only authorized drones to pass through the airspace. Figure 1 shows The New System Can Bring Enhanced, Expanded, And Extended C-UAS Capabilities.

Designed for portability and ease of deployment, EnforceAir can be mounted on a tripod, a vehicle, or carried in a backpack. Despite its compact form—resembling a large wireless router—it delivers high-performance drone mitigation capabilities across various operational scenarios.

Safe and Controlled Drone Neutralization

Operating in manual or autonomous mode, EnforceAir detects and locates unauthorized drones, then hijacks and lands them safely in a preselected zone [1]. This approach is non-kinetic, non-jamming, and does not require line-of-sight, minimizing the risk of collateral damage or interference with surrounding systems.

According to Jeffrey Starr, Chief Marketing Officer of D-Fend Solutions, “We detect the drone, we take control, and we land it.” The safe landing allows authorities to analyze the captured drone, which can aid in security investigations or help return hobbyist devices mistakenly flown into restricted areas.

Real-World Demonstrations and Maritime Capabilities

The latest version, EnforceAir2, was recently showcased in a demonstration near Washington, D.C., where it successfully intercepted a drone piloted by a company technician. The system now boasts a detection range of up to 4.5 kilometers, offering extended coverage for security operations.

In February, D-Fend also introduced EnforceAir2 Maritime, tailored for naval use. Built with sea-tested materials and equipped with an ultra-wide-band antenna, the maritime version provides 360° azimuth coverage and is designed to operate under harsh marine conditions on both land and shipboard platforms.

Reference:

1. https://interestingengineering.com/military/military-tech-takes-control-over-enemy-drones

Cite this article:

Keerthana S (2025), Military Technology Capable of Hacking and Taking Control of Enemy Drones Could Shape the Future of Warfare, AnaTechMaz, pp. 366