Drones and Commercial Aviation: The Growing Threat and Counter-UAS Solutions

Drones and Commercial Aviation: The Growing Threat and Counter-UAS Solutions

From Air Line Pilot Podcast by Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l

March 17, 2026 · 38 min · Season 1 · Episode 26

About this episode

The episode discusses the growing threat of drones to commercial aviation and explores counter-UAS solutions with expert insights.

How do we protect commercial aircraft from the threat of unmanned aerial systems? ALPA president Capt. Jason Ambrosi talks with Col. Bill Edwards, director of counter-unmanned aerial systems operations at ENSCO, about the rapidly growing drone threat to commercial aviation and what it will take to counter it. Edwards discusses the evolution of small UAS driven by global conflicts, the scale of drone detections near U.S. airports, and how limited detection and mitigation authorities have constrained responses. He outlines detection methods (radar, radio frequency, optical, acoustic) and mitigation options suited for domestic use.

People in this episode

Host: Capt. Jason Ambrosi

Guest: Col. Bill Edwards

Topics covered

  • drones
  • commercial aviation
  • counter-UAS solutions
  • aviation safety
  • unmanned aerial systems

Keywords

  • drones
  • commercial aviation
  • UAS
  • aviation safety
  • detection methods
  • mitigation options
  • Col. Bill Edwards

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ENSCO, Air Line Pilots Association, Int’l

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