Dmitry Dorofeev, an expert on UAV protection, talks about how to protect infrastructure facilities from drone attacks.
After the attacks on Wildberries warehouses on July 18 and 20, it became clear that large logistics complexes had moved into a different risk category. They can no longer be perceived as hangars with goods. In terms of scale of operations and economic impact, they are already closer to the infrastructure hubs on which trade, delivery, employment, and regional supply chains depend. And it's not just about marketplaces. If a terminal of a transport and logistics company is hit, the consequences spread across the market no less quickly: routes are blocked, cargo is delayed, and supplies for businesses and private customers are disrupted. Logistics has become a goal, which means warehouse security will have to be reviewed more broadly than through the usual fire and security scenarios.
The warehouse of a marketplace or a large transport operator is not just a storage room. This is a site where sorting lines, loaders, charging stations, acceptance and shipment areas, packaging, IT infrastructure, ventilation, heating, fire fighting and security work simultaneously. The density of processes is so high that a single blow can stop the entire facility.
Traditionally, warehouses were protected from fire, theft, unauthorized access and occupational injuries. And it's still needed. However, the threat of drones adds a scenario that is not covered by the standard set of warehouse security.
For an object where goods, equipment, and people are located at the same time, it is important not only to quickly extinguish the effects of an attack, but also to reduce the likelihood of being hit. That's why we need a physical layer of protection. It does not replace other security measures, but closes a vulnerability that has so far been practically ignored in the protection of warehouses: the last meters between the UAV and the object.
After each major attack, an understandable question arises: is it possible to simply cover the object with a grid? At the level of everyday logic, this seems obvious: there should be a barrier between the drone and the warehouse that will take the hit. However, an ordinary metal mesh or a rigid barrier is not always safe. In case of a sudden collision, the device may collapse, and the fragments may fly apart.
This is especially important for warehouses and logistics terminals. There are many flammable objects inside and near the facility. It is important here not just to "meet" the UAV, but to reduce the consequences of contact. Therefore, we should not be talking about a household grid, but about special protective and trapping structures.: they gently accept the device, increase the braking path, reduce the impact load and delay the drone until it makes contact with the target.
Logistics complexes have their own specifics: they live in constant motion. Therefore, mechanical protection cannot be installed according to the principle of "pull where you can." It needs to be designed to match the actual layout of a warehouse or terminal. If a barrier interferes with evacuation or the work of fire departments, it itself becomes a risk. Proper warehouse protection is not a complete shelter at any cost, but a targeted closure of critical locations.
Marketplaces and transport operators have grown faster than society has had time to rethink their role. Until recently, the warehouse seemed like a large hangar with boxes. Today, it is a hub through which a significant part of consumer trade, inter-regional supplies and B2B logistics pass.
Large warehouses, sorting centers and transport terminals have become part of the new critical logistics. They need more than just access control, fire alarms, and security. They need a physical frontier that will take a hit before it turns into a fire, multibillion-dollar damage and loss of life.
The new security of warehouse logistics is detection, regulations, fire prevention, staff training, insurance, process redundancy, and the last physical frontier. Without this, the warehouse or terminal remains vulnerable not only to fire, but also to the threat that comes from above.
Today, many owners of transport and logistics terminals actually substitute waiting for protection. Some expect that the threat will go away on its own — along with a change in the foreign policy situation. Others believe that it is easier to insure property than to invest in engineering protection. Still others rely on lengthy budget and procurement approval procedures. But in all these cases, the object remains vulnerable. Insurance can compensate for some of the losses after an incident, but it will not stop the drone, protect personnel, preserve storage capacity, or prevent a simple logistics chain.
The author is the General Director of LLC Mechanical Protection Systems
The editorial board's position may not coincide with the author's opinion.
