Why filming drone interceptions and posting them online can be dangerous

Sharjah: Recording aerial threats or air defence interceptions on smartphones and sharing the footage on social media could unintentionally provide valuable intelligence to attackers, a UAE data analyst has warned.

Mohammad Al Shehi, data analyst and lecturer at the Higher Colleges of Technology, said that during aerial threats the most dangerous tool may not be a missile or drone, but a smartphone camera used irresponsibly.

“People often think they are simply documenting an event,” Al Shehi told Gulf News. “But in reality, a short video posted online can contain valuable operational information that adversaries can analyse almost instantly.”

How simple attack drones operate

Al Shehi pointed to drones such as the Shahed-136, a one-way attack drone designed to be relatively simple and low-cost.

The drone is typically programmed with pre-set coordinates and navigates toward its target using satellite navigation combined with an inertial navigation system to maintain and correct its route during flight.

Because of its basic design and relatively slow speed, the drone generally follows a stable flight path toward the target, making only limited gradual corrections while in the air, rather than sharp manoeuvres.

However, one key limitation of this type of drone is that it does not transmit a direct confirmation signal about the outcome of the strike after completing its mission.

“The attacking side launches the drone but receives no immediate report confirming whether it reached its target or was intercepted by air defence systems,” Al Shehi explained.

This lack of feedback creates a significant information gap for the attacker, who must then determine what happened after the launch.

Social media can replace expensive intelligence

In military terminology, determining the effectiveness of a strike is known as Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) — a complex analytical process used to establish whether a weapon reached its intended target or was intercepted.

Traditionally, BDA relies on military satellites, reconnaissance aircraft, signals intelligence and other specialised intelligence assets, and often costs millions of dollars.

However, Al Shehi warned that videos recorded by individuals and shared online during crises — especially footage showing air defence systems intercepting drones — can unintentionally provide the same information instantly and free of charge.

“When people upload such videos, they may unknowingly provide information that adversaries would normally need expensive intelligence capabilities to obtain,” he said.

What analysts can learn from a single video

According to Al Shehi, even a short video filmed from a balcony or street can reveal several critical details that analysts can easily extract, including:

Direction of the drone’s approach, helping identify the route used to enter airspace

Exact location of the interception, revealing where air defence systems engaged the threat

Air defence response time, showing how quickly defensive systems reacted

Geographical landmarks and surrounding environment, enabling precise location analysis

Filming angle and visual perspective, which can help reconstruct the event

These elements allow analysts to build a detailed picture of how defensive systems responded to the threat.

Such information may also help attackers adjust flight routes in future attempts or update what is known in military planning as a “target bank” — a database used to refine operational strategies and identify heavily defended areas or potential gaps in protection.

Public awareness is the first line of defence

Al Shehi stressed that national awareness and responsible behaviour play a crucial role in protecting operational security.

He said that when authorities call on the public not to film or share footage of military or security incidents, these instructions are not merely media guidelines, but important measures aimed at protecting sensitive operational information related to air defence systems.

Security officials emphasise that integrated air defence systems operate with high efficiency to protect the country’s airspace and ensure the safety of the community, but their effectiveness depends in part on preventing operational details from being publicly exposed.

“Air defence systems are performing their duty to protect everyone,” Al Shehi said. “It is important that smartphones do not unintentionally become information gaps that adversaries can exploit.”

He added that keeping phones in pockets during such events is a simple but crucial step that helps safeguard national security, stressing that responsible sharing of information during crises — and relying on official sources — remains a key pillar of community security in the digital age.

“Your safety and the safety of the community remain the top priority,” he said.