UAE installs low-cost defence to counter slow-moving Iranian drones targeting oil storage tanks, video goes viral

A video shared by an X user claiming to show the United Arab Emirates installing large metal structures known as “cope cages” around fuel storage tanks has gone viral, crossing 1.8 million views. The UAE has completed the installation of the steel-and-mesh structures at sites in Abu Dhabi and near Dubai International Airport, adding a passive layer of protection against low-cost drone attacks.

The structures were built over roughly four months after work began in May, following repeated Iranian attacks on strategic UAE infrastructure, including the Port of Fujairah and the Habshan natural gas facility.

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How the UAE’s ‘cope cages’ work

The protective structures consist of heavy steel frameworks and mesh placed above and around the fuel tanks.

Their purpose is to intercept incoming one-way attack drones or force them to detonate before reaching the tanks. Such barriers can create additional distance between the explosive payload and the storage structure, which experts say can reduce the effectiveness of shaped charges and other explosive weapons.

The cages are intended to provide an additional layer of defence alongside more advanced air-defence systems, particularly when those systems face large numbers of relatively inexpensive drones.

Iranian attacks prompted added protection

The UAE's decision follows a series of attacks during the US-“Israel” war with Iran. UAE air defences reported engaging 551 ballistic missiles, 29 cruise missiles and 2,265 unmanned aerial vehicles during the conflict.

A fuel tank at Dubai International Airport was directly struck by an explosive-laden Iranian drone on March 16. The incident led to a temporary closure of airspace and generated a large plume of smoke.

The attacks underlined the vulnerability of major fixed infrastructure to one-way attack drones and prompted additional protective measures around fuel storage facilities.

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UAE adopts tactic used by Russia

The UAE's approach follows a tactic that Russia has used for years, with metal cages and nets installed around oil storage facilities and other sensitive infrastructure to mitigate damage from Ukrainian drone strikes.

Images circulated in May showed construction underway near Dubai International Airport. Newer imagery indicates that the work at sites in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi is now largely complete.

The structures are considered a low-cost defensive measure that can serve as a final protective layer when sophisticated air-defence systems are under pressure from repeated drone attacks.

Similar arrangements have also been used around Russian and Ukrainian military vehicles and energy facilities. While the barriers cannot stop every attack, they have been used to limit the damage caused by suicide drones.