Drone Radio Show
Securing the Skies: Detecting and Responding to Drone Threats - Logan Harris, CEO Spotter Global
Drone Radio Show
•January 8, 2026•41 min
0
Drone Radio Show•Jan 8, 2026
Key Takeaways
- •Compact radars detect drones beyond fence lines.
- •Spotter's RDID 2.0 tracks Wi‑Fi and Bluetooth drones.
- •Utilities mandated radar deployment after Metcalf substation attack.
- •Remote ID enables law enforcement to locate drone operators.
- •System integrates radar AI and video AI, reducing false alarms.
Pulse Analysis
In this episode Logan Harris explains how Spotter Global turned a military‑born compact surveillance radar into a commercial cornerstone for protecting critical infrastructure. The Metcalf substation attack in 2013 sparked urgent demand for perimeter detection that reaches far beyond fences, prompting utilities and regulators to mandate radar deployments. Spotter’s portfolio now spans 17 models, from a 1.5‑pound unit covering 150 meters to the C1200 that scans a mile‑wide, 15 million‑square‑foot area, delivering the situational awareness needed as drone use explodes across airspace.
The technology differentiates itself through a volumetric persistent‑staring radar that captures eight full‑volume snapshots per second, enabling rapid classification of people, vehicles, birds, and drones. Integrated radar AI and video AI lower false‑alarm rates, while the Remote Drone ID (RDID) 2.0 upgrade adds Bluetooth detection to the existing Wi‑Fi capability, allowing operators to identify both the drone and its pilot. Spotter’s stack connects seamlessly to existing video‑management systems, offering both mobile kits for field teams and fixed installations for data centers, airports, and power plants.
Real‑world deployments illustrate the system’s impact. During a 4th of July stadium event, Spotter’s sensors flagged four rogue drones, helped law enforcement locate two operators, and demonstrated how operators can launch miles away yet still breach airspace. Utilities have already rolled out radars after the Metcalf incident, while prisons and other low‑funded sites lag due to cost and training barriers. Harris notes that expanding remote‑ID coverage, adding payload‑detection cameras, and refining AI models will shape the next generation of airspace security as regulations tighten and drone threats become more sophisticated.
Episode Description
Logan Harris is CEO, President, and Founder of Spotter Global—a company specializing in compact radar and drone detection technologies.
Spotter Global imagines, designs, manufactures, and coordinates the software development of compact surveillance radars, Remote Drone ID, NetworkedIO command and control, and its Integrated Management Center.
The company was originally founded to meet the needs of U.S. Special Forces, who required a very small, wide-area radar to protect small units conducting Village Stability Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. From that need, the first Compact Surveillance Radar—the M600—was developed to protect warfighters operating in austere environments.
In 2013, the attack on the Metcalf substation in California highlighted the need to detect threats far beyond the fence line. In response, Spotter introduced its first Compact Security Radar, the C40. Since then, the company has expanded its commercial off-the-shelf offerings to include 17 radar models covering areas from one acre to more than 380 acres, serving markets well beyond critical infrastructure—and far beyond North America.
Logan is widely recognized as the inventor of the compact surveillance radar category. With deep expertise in RF engineering and digital signal processing, he launched SpotterRF in 2009 to help prevent harm to critical infrastructure and protect warfighters.
Previously, Logan served as CTO at Wavetronix and as CTO and co-founder of ImSAR, the creator of NanoSAR. His engineering background also includes roles at IBM, TRW, Sensar Larson Davis, and Vantage.
Logan holds both Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Electrical Engineering from Brigham Young University. Known for his innovation and leadership, he has positioned Spotter Global as a trusted radar provider across government and commercial sectors.
In this episode of the Drone Radio Show, Logan talks about the growing reality of drone threats, how Spotter Global is using advanced detection and Remote ID technology to protect critical infrastructure and large public events, and what the future of airspace security looks like as agencies, regulations, and technologies continue to evolve.
Show Notes
0
Comments
Want to join the conversation?
Loading comments...