The ever-increasing availability and use of drones (or unmanned aerial vehicles [UAV]) continues to ignite the innovative applications of this technology for enhancing the protection of nuclear and other radioactive materials. The challenges for their utilization in areas such as exterior protection, alarm assessment, documenting drill/exercise activities are being addressed in different ways in various regions of the world. Approval to fly them in/around sensitive facilities, protection of the video and data streams from the units, and training/certification of "pilots" within protection organizations are challenges facing any potential users, including those involved in International Safeguards. One of the most obvious uses of drones in international safeguards is the inspection and verification of structures such as buildings and vaults that are difficult and time-consuming to physically check. Not only can drones provide high-resolution images of those structures in real-time, but can record those inspections for future reference and comparison. Drones can also be equipped with a variety of sensing equipment useful in ensuring the adequacy of safeguards measures. Properly equipped drones can be employed to augment response resources to verify the continued proper safeguarding of materials during emergency events. This paper will explore the challenges of drone application to International Safeguards programs and some ways this technology can be useful for monitoring safeguards continuity during emergency events.
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