Predator Drone UAV Communication Predator Drone UAVs communicate with line of sight radio in Mil C-Band 500-1000 MHz. Communication between the UAV Operator and the Predator Drone, which can be jammed with a spark-gap (the space between electrical terminals that allows for the transient discharge pass) radio. A spark-gap transmitter is a device for generating radio frequency and electromagnetic waves using a spark gap. Surprisingly, 90% of all military ops are performed using C-Band. In addition to line of sight radio communication, Predator Drones use SATCOM (Satellite Communication) in Ku-Band 10.95 – 14.5 GHz. Providing another method for jamming. The uplink-band to the satellite is typically 13.75 – 14.5 GHz, and the downlink from the satellite is 10.95 – 12.75 GHz. Predator Drones can be piloted remotely from the C-130 Hercules Ground Station/UAS Ground Station and with its primary satellite has a radius of 20 ft, while USAF operates its drones with remote-split ops keeping the data-link in a separate compartment from the GCS (Ground Control Station). The mission control breakdown is as follows; UAS GCS -> RADIO TRANSMITTER (Within Range) -> SATELLITE (Out of range) -> UAV -> UAS GCS, thus explaining the typical path of communication between the operator and the drone. If you weren’t paying attention, this means the predator drones utilize the same commercial civilian technology used to transmit television signals. Using simple commercial equipment such as Skygrabber you can jam the communications, blinding the operator and sending a signal to the UAV to return back to base or engage a holding pattern until retrieved. This entirely assumes the SSAAS system hasn’t been fully implemented highlighted in the article previously mentioned. You can read more about Skygrabber by clicking here. Satellite channels are extremely limited causing satellite links forced into a virtual corridor, causing the links to be used as a backup and jammer-rescue channel for single special ops. C-band radio is used for a theater of combat operations happening at the same time within proximity of another, each base uses their own C-band. Therein lays the primary weakness of predator drones, the C-band. This is where your spark-gap transmitter comes in… You can build your own jammer by following the instructions in this Frozen Wave Generator Patent or you can build a more low-tech device such as a UHF Jammer. You need this equipment: Jammer video signal from perhaps a simple PC video card. UHF modulator to convert it to a carrier TV frequency that the UP-converter can accept. UP-converter to an adjustable Ku band frequency, or to a block of frequencies. TWT (Travelling Wave Tube) equipment for power amplification Parabolic antenna The UP-converter 3 can be of two types, with a single input UHF (TV) channel or a block of UHF input channels, (a block converter.) And if you use a block converter then perhaps can you try connect a home built UHF jammer instead of the video 1 and modulator 2 to the UP converter. That will also kill every channel on the satellite instead of a single channel. As always, if you have additional tricks that can be used to help the resistance, feel free to share your information and practice your 4th Amendment rights.
Posted on: Tue, 05 Nov 2013 21:43:51 +0000