BBC地平线系列：英国的下一场空难？无人机

剧情简介：Dronesaretransformingourworld.Weusethemtodeliverourmedicines,cleanourskyscrapersandevenfightfires.Butthereisadarksidetothisairbornerevolution,fromashockingriseindrone-planenearmissesaboveourheadstolastyear’ssustaineddronedisruptionatGatwick–Britain’ssecondlargestairport–thatruinedtheChristmasplansof140,000peopleandcostmillions.Inthisdocumentary,high-riskspecialistandformerRoyalMarineAldoKanesetsouttoinvestigatethescaleofthethreatdronesposetoourairportsandskies–fromroguehobbyiststodeterminedterroristattacks.Heexploreswhattechnologiesareouttherethatgovernmentsandtheaviationindustrycanturnto,tokeepourskiessafe.Aldobeginshisjourneybyexaminingthedangersdronecollisionsposetoplanes.HetravelstooneoftheUK’sleadingimpacttestfacilitiestojoinateamfiringdronesintoaplanewingat250mphtosimulateamid-airimpactandassessthedamage.Hethenuncoversaheart-stoppingdrone-planenearmissthattookplaceovertheskiesofLondon.NextAldoinvestigatesthesciencebehindnewtechnologyleadingdronemanufacturersareimplementingintotheirmachinestotryandkeepdronesandplanesapart.Butweseethisisfarfromafail-safesolution–especiallyifthedroneoperatorisdeterminedtocausetrouble.Aldosearchesforawaytoremovedangerousdronesfromtheskyandexploresthetechnologicaloptionsavailable.Fromthecrude-shootingadronedownwithahigh-calibresniperrifle-tothesophisticated-acutting-edgeradiofrequencydetectionsystembeingtrialledbyLondonSouthendAirport.Butitisnotjustroguehobbyiststhatweneedourdronesystemstodefendusagainst.AldomeetsterrorismexpertJamesRogerstodiscoverhoworganisationslikeISISareincreasinglyweaponisingdronesandhowfast-evolvingdronetechnologies–likeFPV(firstpersonview)droneflying–areexceptionallydifficulttocounter.HethenhearsharrowingevidencefromBritishfighterMacerGifford,whodescribesthefirst-handexperienceofcomingunderdailyattacksfromISISdronesinSyriaduringthebattleforRaqqa.Fortunately,intheUKwehavesophisticatedmilitary-gradecounter-dronetechnologyavailabletobattleapotentialweaponisedattack.AldotrialsoneversionofadefencesystemthatwasusedbytheRAFduringtheGatwickcrisis.Weseehowitspinpointelectronicjammingattackcanremoveadronefromtheskyinseconds.Buteventhistechnologymightnotbeenoughtokeepussafeinthefuture,asdronetechnologycontinuestoadvance.AldoheadstoPhiladelphiatomeetacompanydevelopinganewgenerationof’smartdrones’,andheputsthisamazingtechthroughitspaces.Theseintelligentdronesflyfullyautomatically,mappingtheirsurroundingsandmakingtheirowndecisions.Thismeanstheydon’trelyonanexternaloperatorsignalforcontrol,andsotheycan’tbestoppedbyjamming-baseddefencesystems.Forthelastlegofhisjourney,AldoheadstoDallastotestoutahigh-poweredlasermountedonahighlymobiledunebuggythatcanliterallymeltdronesoutofthesky.Itisoneofthefewdefencesystemsthatcouldcombatthefuturisticthreatoffullyautomaticdrones.WillweonedaybeseeingsystemslikethisrolledoutaroundtheUK’sairportsandothervulnerablelocations?Andwhoisgoingtopayforit?