Knowledge base
Range in the real world – what does "3,000 m+" mean?
Updated:
In short
Datasheet ranges (e.g. "3,000 m+") assume ideal conditions: clear line of sight, a high-power drone, a quiet radio environment. In a city, at an event or on broken terrain the real figure can be a fraction of that. Always ask for a field test at your own site before deciding.
What drives RF detection range?
- the drone's transmit power and antenna
- the sensor's height and antenna
- line of sight – buildings, trees, terrain
- radio background noise – Wi-Fi, phones
- the protocol – whether the sensor knows it
Radar
- the target's radar cross section – a small drone is a fraction of a larger one
- flight altitude and ground clutter
- classification range is usually shorter than detection range
Optics
- target size and zoom – detection, recognition and identification ranges differ
- weather, time of day, backlight
Mitigation
- the jamming-to-signal ratio: the pilot's distance matters, not just the drone's
- directionality – directional or omnidirectional
Questions to ask the vendor
- With what drone, at what altitude, in what environment was the quoted range measured?
- What are the probability of detection and the false alarm rate at that range?
- How long between the drone appearing and the alert?
- Will you run a field test at our site, with drones we choose?
Rule of thumb: time matters, not metres
A drone closing at 15 m/s (54 km/h) from 1,000 m reaches the target in about 67 seconds. In that time you must detect, confirm, decide and notify. If your procedure takes three minutes, extra range alone won't help – the process has to get faster.
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If a drone poses an immediate danger, call 112.