Drone Defence Tapped by Chevron to Secure Critical Energy Infrastructure

RETFORD, England – May 13, 2026 – In a significant move to counter rising aerial threats against critical infrastructure, UK-based airspace security firm Drone Defence has been selected to join the Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV) Catalyst Program. The partnership signals a major push by the energy industry to adopt sophisticated technologies capable of protecting vast and vulnerable assets from the complex challenges posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones.

Drone Defence will collaborate with the venture capital arm of the energy giant to refine its drone detection and tracking systems for the specific needs of the energy sector. This includes protecting everything from sprawling refineries and offshore platforms to power generation facilities and thousands of miles of pipelines.

The Sky Above: A New Frontier for Energy Security

The urgency for such solutions has become undeniable. The perimeter fence is no longer the definitive line of defense for critical infrastructure. The airspace above has emerged as a new, largely undefended vector for espionage, disruption, and direct attack. Recent global events have starkly illustrated this vulnerability.

Security experts point to a growing list of incidents. In January 2026, Russian drone strikes on Ukraine's power grid caused widespread outages, demonstrating the devastating potential of UAS in modern conflict. Even commercially available drones can be weaponized with alarming ease. In July 2020, a modified consumer drone was used in an attempted attack on a Pennsylvania power substation, with a copper wire attached in an effort to trigger a short circuit and widespread failure.

Beyond direct attacks, the threat of surveillance is constant. Unidentified drones have been repeatedly spotted near offshore oil and gas installations in Norway, prompting heightened security alerts. This unauthorized reconnaissance can be used to gather intelligence on asset layouts, security protocols, and operational vulnerabilities, paving the way for future attacks or corporate espionage. Energy systems are uniquely susceptible due to their geographically distributed nature and the catastrophic economic and societal impact a successful attack could have.

A Catalyst for Defense: Chevron's Strategic Move

Chevron Technology Ventures' Catalyst Program is designed to identify and nurture early-stage companies with technologies that can provide a strategic benefit to the energy industry. By selecting Drone Defence, Chevron is validating the UK firm's technology and accelerating its entry into this high-stakes market.

Drone Defence specializes in providing situational awareness through its proprietary systems. Its primary technologies include AeroSentry, a deployable sensor that passively scans for the radio frequency (RF) signals unique to commercial drones and their controllers. The all-weather system can provide 360-degree coverage, detecting some drone-related signals from up to 80km away, giving operators crucial advance warning. This data is then fed into AeroTracker, a cloud-based platform that provides a real-time map of airspace activity, sending alerts when a drone violates a pre-defined security zone.

"Being selected to join Chevron Technology Ventures' Catalyst Program is an important milestone for Drone Defence," said Richard Gill, Founder and CEO of Drone Defence, in a statement. "Energy operators manage large, complex and safety critical assets, and they need reliable information about what is happening in the airspace around those facilities. We see the Catalyst Program as an opportunity to align our existing technology with energy sector requirements, supporting better security decisions and the safe, effective use of drones in operational environments."

Balancing the Blade: Drones as Both Tool and Threat

The challenge for the energy sector is that drones represent a dual-edged sword. While they pose a significant security risk, they are also invaluable operational tools that are revolutionizing inspection, maintenance, and safety protocols. Drones equipped with high-definition cameras, thermal imagers, and LiDAR sensors can inspect hundreds of miles of pipeline, survey wind turbine blades, or assess storm damage far more quickly, cheaply, and safely than human crews.

This is where the nuance of Drone Defence's approach becomes critical. Their system is not designed to simply block all drones, but to provide the clarity needed to distinguish between authorized operational drones and unauthorized, potentially malicious ones. The AeroTracker platform can log all aerial activity, creating a comprehensive record that helps security teams understand flight patterns, identify repeat offenders, and manage their own fleet of authorized drones effectively.

By providing a clear picture of the low-altitude airspace, the technology enables security and enablement to coexist. It allows an energy company to confidently deploy its own drones for vital inspections while simultaneously having a robust system in place to detect and track any unsanctioned aerial vehicles that approach its facilities.

The Evolving Landscape of Airspace Security

The partnership between Drone Defence and Chevron is part of a much broader trend. The global Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) market is projected to grow into a multi-billion dollar industry within the next decade, with key players like DroneShield and D-Fend Solutions also developing advanced solutions. Governments are also taking notice, with agencies like the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issuing new guidance and legislative acts being passed to empower law enforcement to mitigate drone threats near critical sites.

The future of infrastructure defense is a layered one, integrating passive RF detection with radar, electro-optical cameras, and AI-driven analysis to create a comprehensive shield. This collaboration represents a crucial step in building that shield. For the global energy sector, securing the airspace above is rapidly shifting from a future consideration to an immediate operational necessity.