Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in the protection of the elements of a country’s critical infrastructure – selected directions of development

Abstract

Th is paper explores the directions for the application of unmanned aerial vehicles in the provision of security to vital elements of a country's critical infrastructure. Th e analysis focuses on two paths of development: the fi rst one refers to the transportation system, the latter is related to the gas supply network-the basic components of a country's critical infrastructure. Th e fi rst section of this paper will examine the current state of knowledge in the fi eld, and is designed as a reference of terminology pertaining to unmanned aerial vehicles (defi nitions and classifi cation). Th e section shall furthermore provide a basis for and a contribution to the developed conceptual-semantic framework for UAV research. Th e fi rst direction of development is described in terms of the characteristics and assumptions of the system; this includes an overview of the specifi c requirements of the unmanned platform itself, as well as the elements of the system, such as a local monitoring centre and other components. Furthermore, this section provides the overview of the designated mobile application, whose development is expected to improve the effi ciency of system operation, which is a conceptual novelty considering similar developments. Th e second direction concerns the development of an unmanned system of production, storage, and use of chemical and radioactive substances, including pipelines for hazardous substances. Th e programme that fi ts perfectly in the framework of the second considered branch of development is "Cricket" [Polish: "Świerszcz"]-a programme implemented in the periodic inspection of gas supply infrastructure. Th e description of the programme in question included specifying the technical and operational requirements for the fi ght devices as well as for the equipment.

Case study of detection and monitoring of wildlife by UAVs equipped with RGB camera and TIR camera

“…UAVs have undergone significant development in recent years and are now used in research, transportation, military operations, agriculture and many other areas of human activity. Manufacturers offer an extremely wide spectrum of devices, characterised by a variety of parameters, as a result of which drones can be used for a wide range of locating or monitoring applications (Bielawski et al , 2018; Chrétien et al , 2015; Khosiawan and Nielsen, 2016; Perz and Wronowski, 2018; Tanda et al , 2020). Possibilities for the use of UAVs also include monitoring animals in their natural environment, for example, koalas (Corcoran et al , 2019), alligators (Elsey and Trosclair, 2016), elephants (Delplanque et al , 2021), geese (Chabot and Bird, 2012) or orangutans (Mutalib et al , 2019).…”

Current Problems of Joint Fire Support in the Polish Armed Forces

“…introducing the appropriate equipment for detection and location of targets, that may generate adequate accuracy of coordinates or introducing UAV (Bielawski, Rządkowski and Perz, 2018) that have such possibilities, with certified and properly trained personnel.…”

Critical infrastructure in the shaping of national security

“…However, there are only a few references to the matters associated with the security of critical infrastructure. In accordance with the Law on Protection of Population and of Property: "Areas, facilities and equipment of significance to national defence, economic interests of the state, public security and other important interests of the state are subject to mandatory protection by specialist armed security formations or appropriate technical protections (Bielawski et al, 2018), the so-called SUFO -internal security services and the entrepreneurs licensed to run business operations within the scope of protecting people and property" (The law of 22 August 1997 on the protection of people and of property).…”