Counter-Drone Security & Drone Detection Services
Drone detection systems, aerial threat assessment and counter-UAS security advice for critical infrastructure, events, businesses and private estates across the UK.
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the threat is real
Drones Are Being Used Against Businesses. Is Your Site Protected?
Consumer drone technology is now widely available, easy to operate and capable of flying far beyond visual line of sight. The same hardware that a hobbyist uses to film holiday footage can be — and is — used to conduct covert surveillance of industrial facilities, capture confidential site imagery, disrupt operations, and in increasingly serious cases, deliver payloads to targets.
The threat is not theoretical. Across the UK, drones have been used to:
- Survey security arrangements at commercial premises ahead of criminal activity
- Conduct industrial espionage and capture confidential operational data
- Disrupt events, sporting fixtures and public gatherings
- Cause shutdowns at airports, energy facilities and transport hubs
- Photograph private individuals and properties without consent
- Deliver contraband to prisons, secure sites and restricted areas
- Scout high-value agricultural estates, rural properties and plant and machinery
UK drone law is managed by the Civil Aviation Authority and enforced by police — but the law is consistently slower than the technology, and police resources for drone-related incidents are limited. By the time a report is made, the intelligence has already been gathered. Waiting to discover you were being watched is not a security strategy.
Image Surveys works with specialist counter-UAS technology partners to provide drone detection systems, site threat assessments and security advisory services that give organisations the situational awareness, evidence capability and deterrence they need to protect their assets, people and operations.
what makes our knowledge different
Expert Drone Knowledge Applied to Drone Security
There is an important distinction between a security company that sells anti-drone technology and a professional drone operator that understands counter-drone security from both sides.
Image Surveys is an active CAA-licensed drone operator with deep practical knowledge of how drones behave, what they can detect, what they can carry, how operators avoid detection, and what the technology's real-world limitations are. That operational understanding — combined with access to military-grade detection technology through our specialist security partners — means we can offer clients a genuinely informed assessment of their specific vulnerability, not just a technology sale.
We are not selling fear. We are providing the same professional, evidence-based approach to aerial security that we bring to every other service we offer — helping you understand your actual risk level and respond proportionately and effectively.
OUR COUNTER-DRONE SERVICES
Drone Threat Assessment & Site Vulnerability Review
The starting point for any effective counter-drone strategy is an honest assessment of your site's specific vulnerability. We carry out professional aerial security surveys of your premises — reviewing sight lines, access routes, airspace context, operational activity and security blind spots — to produce a clear threat assessment that tells you what you are actually at risk from, and what proportionate measures would address it.
This is the right first step before investing in any detection or mitigation technology. Many sites require targeted, cost-effective measures. Others face more significant exposure. A proper assessment tells you which category you are in.
Drone Detection System Supply & Installation
Working through our specialist counter-UAS technology partners — whose systems were originally developed for military and defence applications — we supply and support the installation of professional drone detection equipment at commercial, industrial, event and private sites across the UK.
Detection systems can be configured to:
- Identify and track unauthorised drone activity in real time across your site perimeter and airspace
- Log flight data, timestamps and approach vectors for evidence purposes
- Locate the drone operator's position for police handover
- Alert security teams instantly to incursions via integrated alarm systems
- Record all detected drone activity for subsequent review and reporting
These systems operate passively — they detect and record without jamming, disabling or interfering with drone signals. This is important: under current UK law, actively jamming or disabling a drone is illegal except for specific licensed authorities. Detection, tracking, logging and operator location identification are all fully legal and provide the evidential basis for police enforcement action and civil proceedings.
Ongoing Site Monitoring & Managed Detection Services
For sites requiring continuous protection — energy facilities, data centres, logistics hubs, ports, manufacturing sites and large private estates — we can support the installation and operation of permanent or semi-permanent detection systems with ongoing monitoring and alert management.
Security Advice, Training & Awareness
Understanding the threat is the first step in managing it. We provide briefings and awareness sessions for security managers, facilities teams and senior management covering:
- How drones operate and what they are capable of
- The current legal framework for drone operations and counter-drone responses
- What your options are if an unauthorised drone is detected over your site
- How to record and report incidents effectively to support police action
- Best practice for site operational security in a drone-aware environment
who is at risk from illegal drone activity
Which Organisations Need Counter-Drone Security?
Any organisation with assets, operations, data or people that represent value to a competitor, criminal, activist or hostile actor faces some level of drone threat. The following sectors face above-average exposure:
Critical National Infrastructure Energy installations, power stations, substations, water treatment works, gas terminals and transmission infrastructure. Drone incursions at these sites carry serious operational and regulatory consequences.
Ports, Docks & Logistics Hubs High-value goods, customs-controlled areas, freight movements and port infrastructure make these sites attractive targets for surveillance, smuggling support and disruption. The Port of Liverpool and associated Merseyside logistics corridor represents a specific regional exposure.
Data Centres & Technology Facilities Physical security intelligence about data centre layouts, access points, cooling infrastructure and perimeter arrangements is commercially valuable and increasingly sought by hostile actors.
Transport Infrastructure Airports, rail depots, motorway service areas and major road and rail infrastructure. Drone activity near airports carries criminal penalties but continues to be a persistent problem.
Manufacturing & Industrial Sites Process layouts, production volumes, security arrangements, raw material storage and supply chain logistics are all commercially sensitive. Industrial espionage via drone is underreported but real.
Events, Sporting Venues & Festivals Concert venues, football grounds, racecourses and outdoor festival sites face drone incursions ranging from nuisance photography to serious security risks. Public gatherings also attract protest and activist drone activity.
Private Estates, Rural Properties & High-Value Assets Large rural estates, country houses, agricultural operations and high-net-worth residential properties are targets for reconnaissance ahead of theft — particularly for plant and machinery, livestock, agricultural equipment and contents. This is a growing problem across Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria and North Wales.
Construction Sites Plant theft, materials theft and security reconnaissance via drone is an increasing concern on large construction sites, particularly overnight and at weekends.
Prisons & Secure Facilities Contraband delivery by drone to prison populations is a well-documented and persistent problem across the UK prison estate.
Healthcare & Research Facilities Sensitive research data, pharmaceutical assets and patient privacy all represent value that makes healthcare and research sites potential drone surveillance targets.
UK Legal framework for drones
What you can and cannot do
This is an area where clients consistently need clear guidance, and where acting on incorrect assumptions can create serious legal risk.
What is currently illegal: Under UK law, actively jamming drone communications signals, spoofing GPS to misdirect a drone, or physically disabling or destroying a drone are all illegal — except for specifically authorised government and military operators. Organisations that deploy RF jamming or signal-blocking equipment without authorisation face significant criminal liability. Technology marketed as "drone jammers" or "drone guns" is illegal for civilian use in the UK.
What is fully legal and effective: Detection, tracking, logging and operator location identification are entirely legal and provide the foundation for a credible counter-drone security posture. The systems we supply through our partners are passive detection technologies — they identify and record drone activity and operator position without interfering with the drone or its signals.
With logged evidence of an incursion — timestamps, flight paths, approach vectors, and where possible the operator's location — you have a robust evidential package for:
- Police investigation and potential prosecution under the Air Navigation Order, Computer Misuse Act, Protection from Harassment Act or other public order provisions
- Civil proceedings against identified operators
- Insurance claims
- Regulatory reporting where required
The right approach: A professionally assessed, legally compliant detection and evidence strategy is both more effective and less legally risky than attempting active countermeasures. We help you build that strategy correctly from the outset.
Note: counter-drone legislation continues to evolve. We will always provide guidance based on the current legal position at the time of your enquiry. Our founder Mark Carr is a former solicitor and monitors changes in legislation
where we work
Counter-Drone Security Across the UK
Counter-drone security is a UK-wide service. While Image Surveys is based in Southport, Merseyside and our primary operating area for drone survey services is the North of England and North Wales, our counter-drone security assessments, technology supply and installation are available to clients across the whole of the UK through our specialist technology partners.
Regional clients — businesses and organisations across Merseyside, Lancashire, Cheshire, Cumbria, Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Derbyshire and North Wales can benefit from our local presence and rapid response capability for site assessments and consultations.
Counter - drone FAQ's
Is it legal to jam or disable a drone flying over my property? No. Actively jamming drone communications, deploying GPS spoofing or physically disabling a drone is illegal under UK law for civilian organisations. Only specifically authorised government and military operators can take active countermeasures. Civilian organisations should focus on detection, evidence gathering and reporting — which is both legal and effective.
What can I legally do if a drone flies over my site? You can detect it, track it, record it and log the operator's position using professional detection equipment. This builds an evidential package for police action, civil proceedings or regulatory reporting. You can also report the incursion to the CAA and local police. What you cannot do is jam, disable, or physically interfere with the drone.
How does drone detection technology work?Professional detection systems use a combination of radio frequency (RF) monitoring, acoustic sensors and optical systems to identify drone activity within a defined radius. They can track the drone's flight path and, importantly, triangulate the position of the operator's controller — which is critical for police enforcement action.
What evidence does a detection system provide? A well-configured detection system logs timestamps, flight paths, approach vectors, drone type identification (where detectable) and operator position data. This creates an auditable record suitable for police investigation, civil proceedings and insurance claims.
How much does drone detection cost? Costs vary significantly depending on site size, required coverage area, and whether a temporary event deployment or a permanent installation is needed. We always conduct a threat assessment before recommending a technology solution — this ensures you invest proportionately. Contact us for a confidential discussion.
Is counter-drone security relevant to Martyn's Law compliance? Yes. For venues and events covered by the Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act — commonly referred to as Martyn's Law — drone threat assessment and detection capability is increasingly expected as part of comprehensive security planning for higher-tier premises. We can advise on the specific requirements for your venue or event.
Do you work outside the North of England? Yes. Counter-drone security assessments, technology supply and installation are available to clients across the whole of the UK.