VIVAERO FIU engineers develop stealthy low-cost tech to detect drones Florida International University researchers have developed a new way to detect incoming drones using the unique magnetic signatures generated by their motors — offering a detection method that is stealthier, safer and drastically cheaper than traditional radar . As small drones become increasingly common on the battlefield, the need for affordable and effective counter-drone technologies is growing. The Department of War has requested $74 billion for drone and counter-drone technologies in its fiscal 2027 budget. The research findings, published in IEEE Sensors Journal , show that drones can be identified by an unavoidable byproduct of flight: the extremely low frequency magnetic fields generated by their spinning electric motors. Because different drone models rely on distinct motor configurations, each model leaves its own low-frequency magnetic signature. By recording these signatures with a...
