D-Fend Solutions’ Counter-Drone Technology Protected Airspace During The Pope’s Visit And Holy Mass, Safeguarding Over 60,000 People

EnforceAir automatically detected and mitigated a do-it-yourself (DIY) drone in the airspace approaching the outdoor crowd, took control of it and sent it back to its takeoff position

D-Fend Solutions, the leader in radio frequency (RF), cyber-based, counter-drone takeover technology, announced that its flagship product, EnforceAir, helped safeguard Pope Francis, 90 bishops, 500 priests and an estimated crowd of 60,000 worshippers during Holy Mass in Slovakia.

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The Ministry of Interior of Slovakia cooperated with D-Fend Solutions to protect the Pope, his retinue and attendees from the threat of rogue drones throughout multiple events in Slovakia from September 12-15, 2021, culminating in an open-air Mass in Šaštín, a town that is home to the National Marian Shrine.

EnforceAir was deployed with its Ground-Level Tactical kit, to provide 360-degree coverage.

In addition to the overflowing crowd, there were several counter-drone security challenges, including many antennas and communications systems in the area, with an associated high radio frequency (RF) interference environment. Several drones were identified near the event, but the local police immediately identified them as authorized and “friendly.” EnforceAir recognizes and permits authorized drones to operate in the airspace, even while mitigating rogue drones.

A previously unseen do-it-yourself drone was detected by EnforceAir during the Mass. The police decided to mitigate the potential threat and considered using a jammer-based solution. They quickly decided against it, as jammers could potentially disrupt communications systems operating in the area and they were concerned about halting media transmissions surrounding the Pope’s address during the Mass, as well as disrupting security base stations, which could be a security risk.

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EnforceAir fended off the rogue drone, sending it back to its original takeoff position, far away from the large crowd.

“Protecting such a high-profile event is of the utmost importance, so we wanted to utilize a counter-drone technology that is best suited for crowded events and sensitive situations,” said a representative of the office responsible for the Pope’s protection during his stay in Slovakia. “EnforceAir took control of the rogue drone that threatened the potential safety of the Pope, the crowd and the VIPs in attendance, quickly and easily.”

“It is an honor to be trusted with safeguarding such important events and to assist our homeland security and law enforcement customers,” said Zohar Halachmi, D-Fend’s Chairman and CEO. “The best practices we have learned from having clients use our technology to protect VIPs at massive events worldwide have been incorporated into EnforceAir, facilitating a seamless, end-to-end drone incident lifecycle.”

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