A new industry niche in “drone security” looks set to emerge after U.S. authorities recently passed legislation that would allow them to legally intercept or shut down drones that fly too close to airports and other hazards, the BBC reports.

Startups are already scrambling to fill the space, and one company in particular is keen to show off what it can do. San Diego-based SkySafe has been showing off its technology this week on the back of a $3 million funding round led by Andreessen Horowitz, a venture capital firm that’s previously invested in Airbnb, BuzzFeed, Facebook, FourSquare, Groupon and Lyft.

SkySafe doesn’t reveal exactly how it’s able to detect, hack and then takeover control of drones in midair, but it can. It’s been suggested that the firm uses radio frequencies to intercept drones in midair, but Grant Jordan, founder of SkySafe, refused to elaborate in an interview with The Verge.

“We fully take control of the drone from the operator, it sees us as the legitimate controller, and we can move it to a safe location and land it,” Jordan revealed.

SkySafe isn’t the first company to focus on how to take down a drone in midair. A number of startups have taken a different approach to intercepting malicious UAVs. Drone Shield, for example, uses sensors to detect rogue drones, before collecting evidence and reporting it to clients. It’s technology is designed to stop drones being used to fly contraband into prisons, and to protect people like company executives, celebrities and politicians.

But in an interview with TechCrunch, Jordan insisted that when it actually comes to taking drones ‘out’, SkySafe’s solution is the only viable option.

“There are lasers, there are net-based solutions [that are shot out of cannons],” Jordan said. “[But] That one doesn’t have capacity to handle what customers are looking for; hitting something with a net is hard. The other is a more weaponized sort of thing, and I don’t think we’re going to see airports with giant laser death rays at the ends of their runways.”

It’s easy to see why SkySafe would be a more attractive option than resorting to laser guns and the like. On its website SkySafe has posted a video of a drone being taken over and safely landed using its hacking technology, and it’s very efficient and not the least bit messy or dangerous.

“With detailed event history and real-time notifications, SkySafe offers an unprecedented level of airspace security,” the company writes underneath a screenshot of a map and the potential interface of the SkySafe system.

As well as detecting and hijacking drones, SkySafe can also notify its clients immediately, and it also offers an enterprise management solution for companies that wish to fly drones. Little else is mentioned, but the site indicates a late 2016 launch date for these services, as well as a call for test opportunities with interested companies.

Image credit: StockSnap via pixabay