--- title: Lessons from Two Years of Running a Counter Drone System | SkySafe description: Discover how Rhode Island's two years of counter drone technology revealed over 51,000 flights, transforming public safety and agency collaboration. image: https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/michael-denning-t_ksiy4ZFa0-unsplash.jpg --- [![skysafe logo](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/skysafe%20logo.svg "skysafe logo")](https://www.skysafe.io/) - Platform ##### [![Live Demo: Drone Detection in Action](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/IOcuQcYaa7sHxeXHbfVncNZ7AEg.png) Live Demo: Drone Detection in Action Watch Webinar](https://www.skysafe.io/demo-on-demand) #### Platform [![Drone Detection](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/search.svg) Drone Detection](https://www.skysafe.io/drone-detection) [![Drone Forensics](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/4GcAqqzK2CYrnpDPs0GpCDY14.svg) Drone Forensics](https://www.skysafe.io/drone-forensics) - Industries ##### [![Protecting What Powers the World: Airspace Intelligence for Critical Infrastructure](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/raw_assets/public/SkySafe%20Theme/assets/images/mTUA4NR3M3dotHvDbVlSU0ykPk.png) Protecting What Powers the World: Airspace Intelligence for Critical Infrastructure WATCH ON DEMAND](https://www.skysafe.io/2026-ci-webinar-registration) #### Industries ##### Public Sector [![Military & Government](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Military%20%26%20Government.svg) Military & Government](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/military-government) [![Law Enforcement](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Law%20Enforcement.svg) Law Enforcement](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/law-enforcement) [![Correctional Facilities](https://framerusercontent.com/images/88aKVcnOuC5xH5Eemd9lijQsGTU.svg) Correctional Facilities](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/correctional-facilities) ##### Critical Infrastructure [![Utilities](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Utilities.svg) Utilities](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/utilities) [![Oil & Gas](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Utilities.svg) Oil & Gas](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/oil-gas) [![Critical Infrastructure](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Critical%20Infrastructure.svg) Critical Infrastructure](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/critical-infrastructure) ##### Transportation & Aviation [![Airports](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Airports.svg) Airports](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/airports) [![Ports & Maritime](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Airports.svg) Ports & Maritime](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/ports-maritime) ##### Events & Large Venues [![Universities and Stadiums](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/Universities%20and%20Stadiums.svg) Universities and Stadiums](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/universities-stadiums) ##### Corporate & Executive Security [![Corporations & Executives](https://framerusercontent.com/images/KCyRZSgMMypLP7SYlwKolWJtQDI.svg) Corporations & Executives](https://www.skysafe.io/industries/corporations-executives) - [Company](https://www.skysafe.io/company) - [Partners](https://www.skysafe.io/partners) - Resources ![FIFA World Cup Readiness: Drone Detection & Airspace Intelligence](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/raw_assets/public/SkySafe%20Theme/assets/images/qh3uCvhumb7j2P3ngLDUHAuIso.png) ##### FIFA World Cup Readiness: Drone Detection & Airspace Intelligence Watch On-Demand #### Resources [![Events & Webinars](https://framerusercontent.com/images/bMW8vZgyLIpyvhPjvpUsbfiHgo.svg) Events & Webinars](https://www.skysafe.io/events-webinars) [![Blog](https://framerusercontent.com/images/4zpKVSrwG67JOgs37CAOoFX3V8.svg) Blog](https://blog.skysafe.io/) [![Case Studies](https://framerusercontent.com/images/88aKVcnOuC5xH5Eemd9lijQsGTU.svg) Case Studies](https://www.skysafe.io/case-studies) [![Guides & Reports](https://framerusercontent.com/images/KRpjOo2U1PhiTgBdQRKWWS9zL0.svg) Guides & Reports](https://www.skysafe.io/guides-reports) [![Press Release](https://framerusercontent.com/images/KCyRZSgMMypLP7SYlwKolWJtQDI.svg) Press Release](https://www.skysafe.io/press) - [Contact](https://www.skysafe.io/contact) - [SCHEDULE A DEMO](https://www.skysafe.io/schedule-a-demo) - [LOG IN](https://app.skysafe.io/login) ![SkySafe](https://blog.skysafe.io/hubfs/logo-skysafe_icon.png) SkySafe October 15th, 2026 # What Rhode Island Learned From Two Years of Running a Counter Drone System latest insights #### RIEMA detected over 51,000 unique flights in just two years. Most public safety agencies don't start out looking for a counter drone system. They end up there after a moment that changes their mindset. For the [Rhode Island Emergency Management Agency](https://riema.ri.gov/) (RIEMA), that moment came at a crowded summer festival. Two years into running a [statewide counter drone technology program](https://www.skysafe.io/case-studies/from-one-event-to-statewide-airspace-awareness), the team has built a playbook that other states and agencies can learn from. Here is what RIEMA learned, what surprised them, and what they would tell anyone starting from scratch. ## **It Started With a Drone Over a Stage** Every summer, RIEMA helps oversee a major special event at a state park on a peninsula. It draws roughly 12,000 people a day across two events in two weeks, in a space that is tight to begin with. A few years ago, the team started noticing more drone activity around the venue. The only reason they knew was that people in the crowd were reporting it. Then a drone went up and hovered over the stage. John Washburn, RIEMA's Associate Director of Operations, is candid about where he started. He admits he didn't care much about drones and didn't know much about them at the time, but that incident changed the team's mindset. The team spent 16 to 18 months testing several vendors before settling on SkySafe as their permanent solution. That patience paid off, and it is a good reminder that choosing a counter drone system is a process of learning what you actually need. ## **From "Nothing" to Prosecutable Reports** Before detection, RIEMA had no real visibility. Alex Potts, who manages the drone detection program in RIEMA's operations section, explains that the team relied entirely on reports from people in the crowd. The difference now is the quality of the evidence. Washburn describes it this way: "Before, there was really nothing, to be honest with you, but now the report we get out of this system is pretty much what I'll refer to as prosecutable, right off the bat." Reports can be pulled in the moment and sent wherever they need to go, whether that is law enforcement or the FAA for further investigation. ## **The Sheer Volume Surprised Everyone** When asked what surprised the team most after getting a continuous view of the airspace, Potts didn't hesitate. "The sheer amount of flights we're seeing per day." In just two years, RIEMA detected more than 51,000 unique flights. Activity climbs every summer when the weather turns, and the busiest day of the year so far was the Fourth of July. Potts points to a simple driver: as drones get cheaper and easier to buy, more of them are in the air, and a counter drone system sees them. It is worth stating clearly what that volume represents. Most of it is hobbyists, real estate photographers, roof inspectors, survey crews, aerial mapping, and public safety teams. Only a small fraction is ever a concern. The value of drone detection is being able to tell the difference. ## **Making the Case for Funding With Data** Getting a statewide program funded was not instant. Washburn says it took about three months to convince leadership, and what finally did it was data from a single sensor. The takeaway for the team was straightforward: every sensor added gave them more to see, and more data to work with. RIEMA [funded the program through federal grants](https://blog.skysafe.io/how-to-get-funding-for-drone-defense-system), including port security and Homeland Security funding, which run through the same office. With two years of historical data in hand, the team can now justify additional coverage, new integrations, and future investment. Washburn says the state is even looking at putting its own money into the program, and the driver is the same: the data does the convincing. ## **Expanding a Counter Drone System on Purpose** RIEMA did not scatter sensors across the map. They started where the risk was concentrated. The first area covered was Newport, which has a state park, a harbor, a port, military industry, and a major base all packed into a small footprint. From there, the team worked up the bay toward the metropolitan area, because most of the state's critical infrastructure sits along the coastline and moves inland from there. Today RIEMA runs four sensors that cover about 70% of the state's major infrastructure areas. Relocatable sensors fill the gaps, whether that is a remote site for a special event or a spot where the permanent network has a hole. On range, Washburn says that while the stated reach is 5 to 7 kilometers, RIEMA averages more than 7 kilometers, depending on conditions. He is also honest that no network is perfect, and there will always be a gap somewhere. ## **Learning to Read the Patterns** The longer RIEMA ran its [counter drone technology](https://blog.skysafe.io/counter-uas-explained), the better the team got at reading what they were seeing. Potts describes asking the same questions with every flight: have I seen this drone before, and what is it doing? The patterns tell a story. A flight that shoots straight up 1,600 feet and heads out is different from a short circle around a house. Grids and hexagon patterns point to survey and mapping work. Straight lines and zigzags mean something else. Washburn says that with enough time in the data, you learn to recognize these patterns and how people move through the airspace. That knowledge carries over to special events. If a drone that is normally seen over a field is suddenly over a venue, the team knows to take a closer look and find the operator. If it is a roofer or the photographer who always shoots the sunset over the Newport bridge, they can move on. As Potts puts it, "We've really used the day-to-day blue sky information to help support our special events." One everyday example shows the value. A recreational flight was detected well outside the normal pattern near an airport. RIEMA checked with airport and federal partners, confirmed nothing was scheduled, and an investigator visited a house where repeat flights had been seen. It turned out to be a juvenile with a new drone. Instead of a citation, the operator got education on safe flying and how to earn a [TRUST certificate](https://www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers/knowledge_test_updates) or a [Part 107 license](https://www.faa.gov/uas/commercial_operators/become_a_drone_pilot). ## **Building a Shared Picture Across Agencies** In a small state, everyone works as a group, and RIEMA leans into that. The agency manages the contract and the technology, then passes data to partners including the state Fusion Center, which connects to the FBI, and a federal partner at TSA. State police, event planners, and critical infrastructure stakeholders each have a role, and at the State Operations Center, every emergency support function has a seat, so everyone in the room has access. RIEMA has also set up working groups with the state police and a special events group that can follow up after a festival with real numbers. Potts says some organizers are surprised by what they hear, since they had no idea drones were a problem at their venue. The same approach held up during a major international soccer tournament, when RIEMA supported a team base camp near the Massachusetts border with a remote sensor and coordinated across state lines. One lesson was that federal resources were stretched thin and often went to host cities first, which put even more weight on training local officers. ## **Leave the Knock on the Door to Law Enforcement** RIEMA draws a clear line. The agency provides data and tools, and law enforcement handles contact with operators. Potts says law enforcement is best equipped for this role because they know the rules and how to approach a pilot. The results speak for themselves, with nearly every encounter resolved without issue. A single repeat case is working its way through its own process. Training has changed as a result. Pre-shift briefings for special events now cover the drone procedure, including what to do when a temporary flight restriction is in place and when to engage an operator. Potts says knowing when not to interact with an operator matters as much as knowing when to, and the team keeps educating people on it. Because operators often fly in from outside the venue, even officers working the beat need to know the rules. ## **Critical Infrastructure and Real Incidents** The data has proven its worth beyond festivals. A nuclear research facility in the state is set up as an alert zone, and the two hits there were reported, looked into, and resolved with education. In another case, a helicopter pilot reported a drone conflict on the bay. The next day, three federal agencies called RIEMA asking for information because they knew the capability existed. Using the detection data along with port security camera footage, the team confirmed the incident. It turned out to be a 17-year-old who had lost sight of his drone. Activity around the summer festival has also dropped compared with the previous two years, which Washburn credits at least partly to the increased awareness and enforcement. ## **Advice for Any State Starting a Counter Drone Program** Asked what he would tell another state in its first six months, Washburn keeps it practical: - **Know your critical infrastructure.** Build and maintain a catalog of what is out there and where it sits, with stakeholders you meet with regularly. - **Start small and let data lead.** Experiment with one sensor, then collect data to see what you have before expanding. - **Be strategic about funding.** Match your coverage plan to grant sources, and layer them so the contract stays covered. - **Fill gaps with relocatable sensors.** They reveal blind spots and support special events. - **Stay flexible.** Strategy, frameworks, and work plans are always fluid because the technology moves fast. ## **The Takeaway** RIEMA's experience shows that a counter drone system is about more than spotting drones. It builds a baseline of what normal looks like, gives leaders evidence they can act on, and helps agencies work from the same picture. Two years in, that baseline is what lets the team separate the real estate agent from the real concern, and get ahead of what is coming. Ready to see what is flying in your airspace? 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