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Why 3D drone tracking matters more than detecting it
Daniel Novak, the co-founder of Kuhaken and a developer of passive counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) systems with a focus on precise 3D tracking and non-lethal interception, explained why stable tracking of targets in three dimensions is critical for countering drones.
Novak wrote about this topic in an article for Novyny.LIVE.
The real work begins after the first notification
"In counter-UAS, failures rarely begin with an undetected target. It starts seconds after the first notification. The notification creates awareness but does not provide control. Without stable time coordinates, teams cannot act with precision, safety, and confidence. Most C-UAS systems still fall short in this gap between detection and control," explains the expert.
According to Novak, control over the target only emerges when the system can answer two questions simultaneously: where the target is now and where it will be in a moment.
Novak explains that when notifications become excessive, operators either burn out or stop responding. Therefore, the key question is not "Can we detect the drone?" but rather, "What happens in the first second after detection?"
Tracking and 3D-fixation in simple terms
Tracking a target means the system continuously monitors its trajectory. In this case, it is important to be able to withstand shadows, partial obstruction of the view, and noisy measurements, and quickly return the target to the control field.
"3D tracking is monitoring that provides a stable position in three dimensions — location, altitude, and direction of movement — with updates fast enough to support decision-making. If, immediately after the first alert, the system can say, 'It's here now, and it will be there in one second,' you have a basis to act. If it can't, you have an alert, not control," he explained.
Cities make "easy" tasks difficult
Small drones operate low near buildings, trees, and terrain. This breaks the line of sight, multiplies reflections, and distorts measurements. Thus, a small angular error quickly becomes meters of uncertainty. According to the expert, in the city, a meter often means "behind the roofline."
Additionally, more and more platforms are operating autonomously. In such cases, radio frequency detection often provides few answers, while precise spatial tracking still does.
"The urban environment and critical infrastructure impose limitations. Aggressive influences on the radio spectrum are typically limited because they can interfere with civilian systems. In such conditions, passive, high-precision tracking becomes an operational necessity, not a designer whim," Novak says.
He points out that even a "slow" drone can travel dozens of meters per second, which is enough to lose sight of it in a city.
"Instead of asking, 'How far can the system see?' It is better to ask, 'What does the system do after the first notification? Does it provide stable, timely, three-dimensional coordinates? Does it maintain surveillance when conditions deteriorate? Does it provide operators with actionable information rather than just another notification?' Notifications create awareness. Only long-term, three-dimensional tracking creates control," the expert added.
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