Ep150 - Drones, Robotics & Counter-UAS- What Security Needs to Prepare For
From ASIAL Security Insider by Australian Security Industry Association Limited
January 17, 2026 · 42 min
About this episode
This episode discusses the evolution of drones and robotics in security, their implications, and future developments.
Drones and robotics are moving from niche capability to mainstream security tools—and at the same time, they’re creating entirely new attack paths for adversaries. In this episode of the ASIAL Security Insider Podcast, we speak with Deborah Evans (Edith Cowan University) about where unmanned systems and robotics are heading, what’s already in use across security and law enforcement, and what the industry must do to prepare. We discuss current developments in UAVs and other Unmanned Systems (UxS) and robotics, the pace-setting influence of China and the United States, and how modern conflict—especially Ukraine/Russia—is driving rapid innovation, adaptability, and proliferation. From a practical security operations lens, we explore what’s likely to be adopted next: more persistent surveillance and patrol, disaster response, and environmental monitoring, enabled by higher-level data analytics and increasingly autonomous systems. We also look further ahead at emerging capabilities such as micro and nano systems, swarming, and the evolution of Counter-UAS (C-UAS)—including detection methods and the trade-offs between kinetic, non-kinetic, and hybrid defeat approaches. Finally, we…
People in this episode
Guest: Deborah Evans
Topics covered
- Drones
- Robotics
- Counter-UAS
- Security
- Law Enforcement
- UAVs
- Unmanned Systems
- Data Analytics
- Autonomous Systems
Keywords
- preparedness
- regulation
- social security
- national security
- military development
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Unmanned Systems (UxS), Counter-UAS, UAVs, Unmanned Systems, C-UAS
Places: China, the United States, Ukraine, Russia
More episodes of ASIAL Security Insider
- Ep 157 - Supply Chain Under Siege: What Australian Security Leaders Must Do Now · May 12, 2026 · 38 min
- Ep 156 - Crisis Communications for Security Leaders: What to Say When the Pressure Is On. · April 17, 2026 · 37 min
- Ep 155 - US-Iran Escalation: What Australian Security Leaders Need to Know · April 8, 2026
- Ep 154 - Managing Insider Threats · March 29, 2026 · 51 min
- Ep 153 - Why Most Training Fails Under Extreme Pressure · March 8, 2026 · 46 min
- Ep 152 - Mental Health In Security Part 2 · February 15, 2026 · 58 min
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the ASIAL Security Insider podcast page.