Background Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) pose significant military threats and civil security risks, and microwave technology has become a core counter-UAV means due to its low cost, area-effect engagement, and all-weather capability. Research on UAV microwave effects is the foundation for counter-UAV equipment development and protection design.

Purpose This paper aims to systematically review the research progress of UAV microwave effects, clarify existing challenges, and provide directional references for future studies.

Methods By combing through domestic and foreign relevant research, this review summarizes the characteristics of different microwave effects, analyzes key influencing factors, and sorts out current research limitations and development trends.

Results Front-door effects involve coupling through intentional electromagnetic channels (e.g., data links) with low-noise amplifiers as sensitive components, and thresholds are related to frequency matching; back-door effects rely on unintentional channels (e.g., cables, housing gaps) with cables as the main path, but relevant research is insufficient; system-level effects show hierarchical failure, affected by UAV models, microwave parameters, and attitudes. Current research faces “black box” coupling mechanisms, fragmented methods, and inadequate connection with protection design.

Conclusions Future research should focus on multi-path collaborative coupling modeling, complex scenario assessment, and countermeasure-protection collaborative technologies. This review provides a systematic reference for the field, supporting counter-UAV equipment development and safe UAV application.