The University of Alabama has selected and adopted D-Fend Solutions as a counter-drone technology supplier. By deploying D-Fend’s EnforceAir, the University has established a pioneer model for higher education airspace security, protecting campus operations, critical infrastructure, and major public events.

D-Fend Solutions is a leader in field-proven radio frequency (RF) cyber-driven, non-kinetic, non-disruptive counter-drone takeover technology.

"Small City" Environment with Massive Security Demands

As a Tier One R1 research institution, the University of Alabama operates as a "small city," spanning 3.5 square miles with 330 buildings and nearly 50,000 students, faculty, and staff. During football season, the campus becomes one of the largest population centers in the state. Saban Field at Bryant-Denny Stadium hosts over 100,000 fans, while the "sea of humanity" on the campus Quad and surrounding areas can draw an additional 70,000 tailgaters.

"D-Fend and EnforceAir have been game changers for us," said Michael Kelley, director of security technologies at the University of Alabama. "Our situational awareness has expanded dramatically. Not only do we know what is in the airspace around our campus, but we have the ability to mitigate if necessary."

Airspace Insights & Proactive Protection

Following a comprehensive evaluation of leading technologies, including season-long live performance trials against other systems, the University selected EnforceAir for its unique technical capability to support controlled mitigation, an option to be utilized by authorized, trained personnel in accordance with evolving regulatory frameworks, without the risks associated with kinetic measures or jamming, which can cause collateral damage or disrupt campus communications.

Key operational points from the University's deployment include:

• Scale of the Threat: During one evaluation period, the system identified well over a thousand drones operating in the vicinity, underscoring the massive scale of UAS activity over collegiate environments.
• Exceptional Coverage: From an elevated position, a single EnforceAir unit provided extensive, long-range detection notifications covering the campus and surrounding approaches.
• Strategic Integration: The University integrates EnforceAir into its Emergency Operations Center (EOC), utilizing a Unified Command Framework to collaborate with local, state, and federal partners during major events.
• Thorough Evaluation: The University selected EnforceAir after a rigorous process that included reviewing leading systems, ultimately choosing D-Fend for its intuitive interface and effective, safe, and non-disruptive mitigation technical capability.

Drones & Campus Security Challenges

The University recognized that unauthorized drones present risks ranging from accidental collisions and falling debris to the disruption of high-level research and athletic events.

"Higher education institutions face unique challenges: open environments, major public events, critical research, and evolving regulatory frameworks," said Zohar Halachmi, CEO and chairman of D-Fend Solutions. "EnforceAir enables proactive, non-disruptive control that aligns with both safety and operational continuity."

 Michael Kelley added, "We are initiative-taking, not reactionary. We have to plan for the future, and D-Fend's technology allows us to do exactly that."