Drones are increasingly prevalent in public settings across the U.S. In fact, the drone industry in the states has grown to $6.39 billion in 2024. One place where drones pose a significant threat to American citizens is densely populated urban areas. Responding to these drone threats requires the foresight to educate the population on flying drones, proper counter UAS (CUAS) measures, and cohesion amongst several long enforcement.

DJ Smith is the CUAS Systems Program Coordinator for the Virginia State Police, and in his role he has a wealth of experience in responding to drone incursions. During the CUAS Summit, Smith will participate in a panel discussion on challenges and solutions for counter-drone operations in urban areas. Before the conference, Smith sat down with IDGA to preview his session at the Counter UAS Summit and discuss the work the Virginia State Police is doing to mitigate drone risks in urban areas.

IDGA’s Counter UAS Summit takes place August 27-28 at the Crystal Gateway Marriot in Arlington, Virginia. During the two-day event, high level discussions will be held surrounding kinetic and non-kinetic approaches for countering drones, including exploring case studies on specific incidents, insights into the latest innovative CUAS technologies, the impact of shifting legal authorities, and much more.