Athena’s New AI X-Ray Tool Spots Drones Before They Fly

Athena Security has introduced a new AI X-ray screening model that can spot drone components inside bags, cargo, and luggage long before anyone assembles them, giving security operators a chance to stop threats before they reach restricted areas, as Security Systems News reports.

The company says this shift from reactive to early detection is exactly what critical sites need as drone incidents continue to climb. The system looks for motors, propellers, battery packs, electronics, and other telltale pieces that could form a drone once combined, and it does this while keeping false alarms low, which is something security teams everywhere appreciate because nobody enjoys chasing after a blender motor thinking it might take off.

Drone activity around the world has increased fast, and that rise has come with problems for airports, energy facilities, stadiums, ports, and plenty of other high-value locations. Incidents have grown more than sixty percent worldwide, and illegal incursions reported by the FAA are up more than twenty five percent since last year, which gives you an idea of the pace at which drones are becoming both useful tools and serious headaches.

Conflicts abroad have also shown how cheap drones can disrupt transport networks, damage infrastructure, and cause regional outages, and anyone who watched the large scale strikes on Ukraine’s grid in October remembers how quickly a swarm of low cost aircraft can turn into a major operational crisis.

Airports in Europe have dealt with disruptions as well, such as Munich’s seven hour shutdown that canceled seventeen flights and affected nearly three thousand passengers, along with similar events in Copenhagen and near Fuerteventura where flight paths had to be diverted. These situations are exactly why Athena believes waiting for drones to appear in the sky is no longer enough, because catching components before they reach a secure perimeter gives teams far more time to act.

How Athena’s Detection Model Works

The new model builds on Athena’s AI Assisted X-ray platform, which already helps operators scan bags faster than manual checks, and now adds machine learning that can spot drone parts even when they are packed inside other objects or disguised in clever ways.

Athena says many threats actually begin before a drone is assembled, since components can be smuggled in piece by piece and later combined in areas that lack aerial defenses, and one of their clients reportedly learned this the hard way after a drone breach that pushed them to ask Athena for a solution.

Athena designed the system to recognize small details, identify materials, and automatically highlight problem areas on a unified interface that can tie into access control software, which means doors can lock, alarms can trigger, and security staff can respond without juggling multiple screens.

The model can be installed at checkpoints, cargo entries, staff entrances, perimeter gates, or unattended points that require automated screening, giving large facilities plenty of flexibility to reinforce weak spots.

Beyond drones, the underlying X-ray system can differentiate between organic and inorganic materials, detect weapons, 3D-printed firearms, electronics, powders, pills, vapes, and other contraband, and the conveyor can even stop when it detects predefined threats so that a single operator can manage both weapons screening and bag screening in one workflow.

Athena emphasizes that no system is perfect, but the idea is to give operators better information, faster response options, and fewer slow manual searches that clog up lines and leave gaps in security.

Meeting Modern Security Needs

Security teams across the country are shifting from reactive countermeasures to layered early detection because drones are inexpensive and widely available, and operators responsible for borders, ports, energy sites, stadiums, data centers, and logistics hubs are looking for tools that help them stay ahead of threats rather than scramble once a drone is already airborne.

Athena is already talking with government agencies and private operators about pilot programs, and the company has shown interest in pairing its detection model with counter-UAS and electronic warfare partners to create complete defense systems that can detect, identify, and respond to drone threats from the moment they enter a facility to the moment they take flight.

Athena Security is based in Austin with offices in San Francisco and Jacksonville, and the company continues to expand its suite of AI-powered tools, which include weapons detection, visitor management, telepresence systems, and even smart glasses designed for security operators. With drones becoming a bigger concern every year, an X-ray system that can see threats before they exist in their final form might be exactly the kind of upgrade that high-risk facilities need.

DroneXL’s Take

Early detection is becoming the new standard in drone security because once a drone is airborne the clock starts ticking fast, and systems like Athena’s will likely become more common as airports and critical infrastructure try to stay ahead of both hobbyist incursions and intentional threats. If the model can stay accurate without drowning operators in false alerts, it could fill a gap that traditional counter-drone tools never addressed, which is stopping problems long before the propellers start spinning.

Photo credit: Athena