Florida-based company DeTect has released "DroneWatcher," an Android app for Amazon Fire Tablets and Android smartphones that will notify users of any nearby unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The app is available in both Free and Pro versions, the latter being available as a free upgrade until July 31.
Privacy is one of the main concerns arising with the exponential increase in the drone market. Just recently, legislation passed in Texas that would result in imprisonment from illegally traveling over airspace deemed "critical infrastructures." There's a huge boon in the anti-drone gun technology field, as there are various factions of people who are concerned with invasive, unwelcome UAVs. Hence, the aforementioned Android app and the assured demand for the kind of information it provides.
According to DroneLife, the application is aimed at both private and corporate sectors, as both citizens and businesses alike have the desire to know who and what is invading their airspace. It's an understandable demand, and it seems like the app is a bit more sophisticated than expected. For example, the app doesn't simply rely on the one device it's downloaded to in order to receive notifications from its vicinity.
With the Pro version of DroneWatcher, you can connect multiple phones or tablets to form a pretty solid mesh-network of sorts, through which all connected devices will inform each other of how many and which kinds of UAVs are flying in each individual device's area. Of course, the app requires drones to be unencrypted and running on WiFi or RF signals. The range is adequate, detecting drones from a quarter mile to half a mile.
According to DroneLife, once a drone has been spotted, users will receive its make and model, as well as log its ID number to a database. Added to that, the Pro version sports a "power bar" which points users in the general direction of the drone's operator. As it stands, DroneWatcher detects around 85 percent of unencrypted, WiFi or RF controlled UAVs in the sky. That's pretty impressive and worth taking a gander at.
If you're interested, you can download the Android-based app here on Amazon, or here on the GooglePlay store. And remember, the Pro upgrade is free until July 31. Happy hunting.