Sector
Electric grid and substations
A fence stops a truck. It does not stop an aircraft that flies over it—into a transformer that can take years to replace.
Veil Systems provides drone-defense consulting and integration support for substations and related grid nodes: consult, design, procure, install, and service.
Illustrative scenario — not a Veil installation or a real incident. Concept schematic.
Threat scenario
Scenario — Substation
An FPV carrying a homemade explosive is flown over a substation fence at night into a transformer bushing or tank. Replacement, if no spare exists, can be months to years and millions of dollars. Labeled scenario—not a claim of a mass U.S. campaign.
Why the fence falls short
Ground security was not built for this approach
NERC CIP-014 exists because damage to certain substations can threaten cascading outages. Aerial bypass of the fence is a different geometry than ground assault.
Sourced context
Facts that keep the story grounded
- DOE (July 2024): ~90% of U.S. electricity passes through an LPT; common lead times ~36 months, maxima up to ~60; typical weight 150–400 tons. DOE LPT Resilience Report (July 2024)
- GAO-23-106180: LPT purchase costs as high as $10 million plus transport; lengthening lead times are a resilience concern. GAO-23-106180
- CISA: UAS can bypass fences, gates, and guards. CISA
Where Veil comes in
Consult · Design · Procure · Install · Service
Map aerial approaches to transformers and controls; design, procure, install, and service a detection-led system for utility security and authorized partners.
Consult
Site, threats, authorities.
Design
Layered detection plan.
Procure
Best-fit existing systems.
Install
As designed, documented.
Service
Maintenance and training support.
Authority boundary: Veil does not jam, seize, or disable drones. Mitigation is for authorized operators only. See regulatory explainer.
FAQ
Is CIP-014 a counter-drone standard?
CIP-014 is a physical-security reliability standard. Cited for fragility context—not as Veil certification.
Planning limits
Transformer acquisition lead times are not outage durations. Spare availability, network configuration, repair options, and recovery plans determine the impact of an event.
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