Course Details
Principles of Drone Warfare: From Detection to Defeat of UAS Threats | Virtual Course
Course Dates:
Session 1 | July 21, 2026 | 1 – 5 PM
Session 2 | July 28, 2026 | 1 – 5 PM
Course Location: Virtual
Course Length: 8 hours total delivered across two sessions
Continuing Education Units (CEUs): 8
Description: This course introduces the fundamentals of drone warfare, with a focus on counter-UAS (unmanned aerial systems) operations from detection to defeat. It covers how drones have transformed both civilian and military environments, introducing new challenges in security, surveillance, and battlefield dynamics.
The course begins by establishing the foundations of drone technologies, including architecture, communication links, autonomy, and navigation systems. It then examines the evolving threat landscape through real-world examples, highlighting operational implications in both civilian and military contexts.
Building on this foundation, the workshop explores detection techniques across multiple domains, including radio frequency (RF), radar, electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), and acoustic sensing, emphasizing the importance of multi-sensor fusion. It further introduces countermeasures such as electronic warfare (jamming and spoofing), cyber exploitation, and directed energy systems, including high-power microwave (HPM) and laser weapons.
Finally, the course integrates these elements into a coherent counter-UAS framework through operational scenarios, enabling participants to understand how to design and evaluate layered defense systems in complex environments.
Who Should Attend: This course is intended for professionals involved in electromagnetic warfare, air defense, counter-UAS, and security operations, including military operators, engineers, system architects, researchers, and decision-makers.
It is particularly relevant for those working in EW, SIGINT, radar systems, defense innovation, and infrastructure protection who seek a structured understanding of modern drone threats and countermeasures.
Questions related to the course and/or its content can be directed to [email protected].
Registration
*Course Pricing
AOC Members – $750
Government/Military – $750
Non-Members – $1,000
Questions related to registration can be directed to Samantha Kim, Professional Development Coordinator, at [email protected].
Not a member? Join now and save! AOC members receive discounts on all courses, free access to all webinars and much more.
Learning Objectives
- Outcome 1: The ability to characterize drone threats and understand the technologies, architectures, and vulnerabilities of modern UAS in both civilian and military contexts.
- Outcome 2: The ability to select appropriate detection and counter solutions (including RF, radar, electronic warfare, and directed energy) based on operational constraints.
- Outcome 3: The ability to design and assess layered counter-UAS systems using a structured, end-to-end approach from detection to defeat across the modern real-world scenarios.
Instructor
Dr. Rafael Licursi is the author of Metasurface-Driven Electronic Warfare (Wiley/IEEE Press) and the CEO of Stronghold AI. He is an antenna and radar researcher specializing in electromagnetic warfare (EW), counter-UAS systems, advanced sensing technologies, and cognitive systems.
He earned his PhD in electronics at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris, focusing on reconfigurable metasurfaces and wideband antenna systems. His career spans both operational and technical roles, including service as a military pilot, radar operator, and Electronic Warfare Officer.
Dr. Licursi has also worked as a signal processing engineer, SIGINT researcher, and antenna engineer, giving him a unique end-to-end perspective on modern electromagnetic operations. His work focuses on developing adaptive systems that integrate sensing, AI-driven models, and real-time decision-making in complex environments.
