• Developed by Telefónica, the system allows real-time detection of any drone within a radius of up to 10 kilometres, identifying whether its flight is legal or not
• This system operates autonomously 24 hours a day and has already been successfully used in more than 200 locations worldwide.

 The Port Authority of Valencia has put into operation this week a state-of-the-art anti-drone system that will enable the detection and identification of unauthorised drone flights in the area surrounding the Valencian port area.

This new system, supplied by Telefónica, will make it possible to identify in real time the presence of drones in the port’s airspace, determine whether their flight is authorised and, in the event of an illegal intrusion, immediately communicate the incident to the State Security Forces and Corps (FFCCSE) for the identification and sanctioning of the pilot.

The infrastructure deployed, a rapidly deployable Sendes DAU-K10 QD, incorporates passive radio frequency detection technology, allowing interception of communications between the drone and the control command, as well as deciphering the telemetry of the device. This technology provides real-time information on drones both in the port area and within a radius of up to 10 kilometres and an altitude of more than 500 metres.

The system is capable of detecting, identifying and geolocating not only the main commercial drones (such as DJI, Parrot, Yuneec or Autel), but also home-made drones, those transmitting collaborative protocols such as Remote ID, and manned aircraft emitting ADS-B signals.

In addition, the system operates autonomously and unattended 24/7, being monitored from the APV’s remote security control centre. Its technology has already been successfully implemented in more than 200 locations at national and international level and is the same as that used by the FFCCSE for the protection of critical infrastructures, high state institutions and mass events.

The protection of port airspace is a priority, given that ports of general interest, such as València, are considered critical infrastructure areas, where flying is only allowed with prior, justified and specific authorisation.

The summer period increases the risk of intrusions, especially due to the proximity of the port to areas of tourist interest such as the beach or the historic dock, which can attract overflight attempts out of mere curiosity or with undeclared intentions. Current regulations require flight plans to be justified and authorised in advance, so any unauthorised incursion will be considered illegal.

The new system has already detected two drones flying over the port area this week, demonstrating its immediate effectiveness and the need to monitor such emerging threats to ensure the security of port facilities.