The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reportedly installed large steel structures known as “cope cages” around fuel storage tanks in Abu Dhabi and near Dubai International Airport, adding another layer of protection against drone attacks.
A viral video shared by an X user claiming to show the installations has crossed 1.9 million views. The footage shows metal frameworks positioned above and around fuel storage tanks.
The work reportedly began in May and took about four months to complete. The installations followed Iranian attacks on strategic infrastructure in the UAE, including the Port of Fujairah and the Habshan natural gas facility.
The cages consist of heavy steel frames and mesh designed to create a barrier around the tanks. They can obstruct an incoming drone or cause an explosive device to detonate before it reaches the storage structure, potentially reducing the impact of a direct strike.
Watch the video here
How the protective cages work
The structures are intended to complement the UAE’s existing air-defence systems rather than replace them. Their passive design could be particularly useful during attacks involving large numbers of relatively inexpensive drones, when conventional interception systems may face multiple simultaneous threats.
The threat to fuel infrastructure became evident on March 16, when an explosive-laden Iranian drone struck a fuel tank at Dubai International Airport. The incident temporarily disrupted airport operations, led to an airspace closure and produced a large plume of smoke.
The UAE said its air defences had engaged 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,265 unmanned aerial vehicles since Iranian attacks began on February 28.
Similar physical barriers have been used around military and energy facilities in countries affected by drone warfare. Russia, for example, has used metal cages and protective nets around oil infrastructure to reduce the potential damage from drone strikes.
While such structures cannot prevent every strike, they can provide an additional safeguard for critical infrastructure if an attacking drone penetrates other layers of defence.
