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07 Dec 23. Senate Counter-UAS Bill Continues to Add Bipartisan Cosponsors. The Senate Counter-UAS Bill, also known as S.1631: Safeguarding the Homeland from Threats Posed by Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act of 2023, continues to add bipartisan cosponsors. With the addition of Sen. Marsha Blackburn [R-TN], Sen. John Cornyn [R-TX], and Sen. Mark Warner [D-VA], the bill now has 14 cosponsors- 7 Republicans, 6 Democrats, and 1 Independent.
The bill would reauthorize existing authorities for both the Departments of Justice (DOJ) and Homeland Security (DHS), as well as expand the capabilities of state, local, tribal, and territorial (SLTT) law enforcement as well as the owners and operators of critical infrastructure to use radio frequency (RF) detection equipment that would otherwise violate certain provisions of federal law.
The bill would also expand the number of agencies with the authority to mitigate drones as part of their counter-UAS mission. This bill would authorize DHS and DOJ to assess the viability of an SLTT pilot program for countering drones posing credible threats to covered facilities or assets.
The pilot program allows up to 12 SLTT agencies per year for a five-year period, with direct oversight by either DOJ or DHS. These agencies must regularly report in writing to the relevant Congressional committees on mitigation authorities granted, including details of privacy or civil liberties complaints known to DHS or DOJ. Equipment authorization is limited to that approved by DHS and DOJ in coordination with the FCC, NTIA, and DOT (acting through the FAA).
Training requirements for the pilot program will be established from criteria established by DHS and DOJ, in consultation with the Secretary of Transportation, the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration, the Chair of the Federal Communications Commission, the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information, and the Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the FBI, may provide training to SLTT to mitigate a credible threat that a UAS poses to the safety or security of a covered facility or asset and establish or designate one or more facilities or training centers.
Last month, the “Further Continuing Appropriations and Other Extensions Act, 2024” (H.R. 6363) received approval from both the House and Senate and was signed by President Biden. The legislation extended the C-UAS Authority for the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) until February 3, 2024, surpassing the previous expiration date of November 18, 2023. These authorities, originally set to expire in October 2022, have undergone multiple extensions and were established under The Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018, as outlined in 6 U.S. Code Section 124n(i).
For more information on the history of law enforcement counter-UAS in the United States, please visit- A Short History of Law Enforcement C-UAS in the U.S. (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
07 Dec 23. SkySafe Begins UAS Detection & Mitigation Testing and Evaluation.
SkySafe, a global drone airspace management and awareness leader, has been chosen for the FAA’s UAS Detection and Mitigation Testing and Evaluation Program. This selection underscores SkySafe’s commitment to improving aviation safety amid concerns about integrating Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) into the National Airspace System (NAS). The program aims to identify technologies capable of detecting and mitigating unauthorized UAS activities near critical infrastructure. SkySafe’s solution provides a comprehensive view of UAS activity, featuring real-time detection, analysis, historical flight forensics, reporting, and integration of the upcoming Remote ID standard, utilizing advanced sensors and cloud-based intelligence.
“We are honored to have been chosen by the FAA for this crucial program that aims to ensure the safety and security of our skies-especially the protection of our airports,” said Grant Jordan, CEO of SkySafe. “As the drone industry continues to expand, so does the need for robust technologies that can identify and address potential threats to public safety. SkySafe is committed to collaborating closely with the FAA to deliver effective solutions that provide awareness of unauthorized drones and the risks they pose.”
SkySafe earned the selection based on its expertise and innovative approach to airspace awareness and management. The company’s technology is undergoing initial testing at the Atlantic City International Airport.
About SkySafe
SkySafe is a global leader in scalable networks of drone-detection sensors, offering Drone Detection, Tracking, and Identification (DTI) as a Service (DaaS). Tested and validated by the FAA, SkySafe’s technology is vetted and approved to ensure airspace safety, security, and world-class drone forensics capabilities. Its cloud-based platform, the most comprehensive on the market, provides real-time and historical UAS identification, activity tracking, and telemetry data for teams responsible for protecting cities, infrastructure, the public, and campuses. Teams using SkySafe for localized airspace intelligence and management get alerts to drones within their area to manage potential threats, approve authorized flights, and better understand the entire space around their assigned protective envelope.
Founded in 2015 and based in San Diego, California, SkySafe was started by and employs recognized experts in the field of drone threat analysis. SkySafe’s technology is made in the U.S.A. and distributed globally.
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
07 Dec 23. D-Fend Graduates to New Phase of Airport Counter-UAS Testing.
Ra’anana, Israel and McLean, VA (December 13th, 2023) – D-Fend Solutions, the leader in radio frequency (RF), cyber-based, non-kinetic, non-jamming, counter-drone detection and takeover mitigation technology, announced today expanded and extended participation in the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airport Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Detection and Mitigation Research Program, aimed at achieving safe and efficient airport and National Airspace System (NAS) operations. The company’s core Counter-UAS system, EnforceAir, underwent testing at a second airport site, Syracuse Hancock International Airport (SYR).
EnforceAir was previously selected for participation in the FAA Program at Atlantic City International Airport (KACY). The program enables the FAA to work with major federal departments and agencies to ensure technologies/systems that are developed, tested, or deployed by federal departments and agencies to detect and/or mitigate potential risks posed by errant or hostile UAS operations do not adversely impact or interfere with the safe and efficient operation of the National Airspace System (NAS). The evaluation further ensures that EnforceAir does not adversely affect or interfere with safe airport operations, aircraft navigation, or air traffic services. D-Fend Solutions rapidly progressed from initial testing at one airport to further assessment in a second airport environment. Graduating and completing the second phase at another airport is a major milestone for program participants who can demonstrate that their product performs as advertised, generates reliable and accurate data, and warrants further evaluation in another operational setting.
“EnforceAir’s quick progression from first trials at Atlantic City to additional evaluations at Syracuse in this demanding and vital FAA program validates D-Fend’s vision of enabling a flourishing drone-powered society, specifically in aviation, by supporting the growth of safe and secure drone adoption and integration while applying innovation to defend against rogue drone threats at airports,” said Zohar Halachmi, Chairman and CEO of D-Fend Solutions.
This program expansion follows a series of successful milestones achieved by the company in recent months, including expansion of the US team and the launch of EnforceAir2.
About D-Fend Solutions
D-Fend Solutions is the leading counter-drone takeover technology provider, enabling full control, safety, and continuity during rogue drone incidents across complex and sensitive environments to overcome current and emerging drone threats. With hundreds of deployments worldwide, EnforceAir, the company’s core offering, focuses on the most dangerous drone threats in the military, public safety, airports, prisons, major events, and critical infrastructure environments. D-Fend Solutions’ technology has been chosen as best-in-class and is deployed by multiple top-tier governmental agencies – including military, law enforcement, and homeland security users – as well as major international airports globally. EnforceAir autonomously executes RF cyber-takeovers of rogue drones for a safe landing and outcome, ensuring the smooth flow of communications, commerce, transportation, and everyday life. (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
06 Dec 23. Vuzix Completes Delivery to a Leading Defense Firm.
Vuzix® Corporation (NASDAQ: VUZI), (“Vuzix” or, the “Company”), a leading supplier of smart glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technology and products, announced it has completed delivery against the final stage of a development program from a leading US-based defense contractor and information technology services provider. Vuzix has delivered a custom-designed waveguide and custom light engine that are intended to be used in head borne systems designed for military applications. This initial development program was part of a phased effort that would ultimately address a broad market for US and allied military personnel. These customized waveguide-based display engine prototypes offer a high brightness, high index waveguide design with a wide FOV (field-of-view) for a variety of field operational conditions.
“We have been working closely with this defense contractor over the past 18 months to design, produce and deliver a solution that can be integrated into many head worn products,” said Paul Travers, President and CEO of Vuzix. “We look forward to future opportunities from this work and ultimately potential volume deliveries, and we will continue to develop and refine the waveguide and display engine technologies, including advancements such as our recently announced Incognito technology, that defense contractors need and want for their next-generation solutions.”
About Vuzix Corporation
Vuzix is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the enterprise, medical, defense and consumer markets. The Company’s products include head-mounted smart personal display and wearable computing devices that offer users a portable high-quality viewing experience, provide solutions for mobility, wearable displays and augmented reality, as well OEM waveguide optical components and display engines. Vuzix holds more than 350 patents and patents pending and numerous IP licenses in the fields of optics, head-mounted displays, and augmented reality Video Eyewear field. Moviynt, an SAP Certified ERP SaaS logistics solution provider, is a Vuzix wholly owned subsidiary. The Company has won Consumer Electronics Show (or CES) awards for innovation for the years 2005 to 2023 and several wireless technology innovation awards among others. Founded in 1997, Vuzix is a public company (NASDAQ: VUZI) with offices in: Rochester, NY; Oxford, UK; Munich, Germany; and Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan. (Source: PR Newswire)
07 Dec 23. AeroVironment Jump 20 Group 3 UAS Demonstrates Its Flexibility.
AeroVironment, Inc. recently participated in the Arcane Thunder 23 (AT23) operational exercise in Europe, showcasing the capabilities of its JUMP 20 Group 3 unmanned aircraft system (UAS) in supporting multi-domain operations. AT23 is a part of the U.S. Army’s Project Convergence – Europe initiative, aimed at assessing the advancements in the service’s modernization efforts. The exercise focuses on validating and testing the seamless integration of effects across various domains, including air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace.
In collaboration with CACI and with support from the U.S. Army’s 2nd Multi-Domain Task Force (2nd MDTF), AeroVironment demonstrated the JUMP 20 UAS equipped with multiple Electronic Warfare (EW) payloads during the exercise. The UAS delivered real-time data, enhancing communication between sensors and shooters. This technology enables warfighters to coordinate both lethal and non-lethal effects efficiently.
Shane Hastings, AeroVironment’s vice president of Medium UAS, emphasized the adaptability of the JUMP 20 platform to meet the evolving needs of modern warfighters. The company remains committed to integrating new technologies into the JUMP 20 platform for maximum advantage in maritime and land domains.
Held near Ustka, Poland, from August 28 to September 8, the exercise involved the JUMP 20 carrying multiple imaging and EW payloads. The UAS utilized an open system architecture capable of quick adaptation to accommodate radios operating in different frequency bands. Notable features included a seven-inch stabilized imaging system with continuous zoom for superior day and night surveillance and a high-performance wideband radio receiver enabling passive radio frequency (RF) aerial surveys and real-time geolocation of signals. AT23 represents an unprecedented multi-domain and multi-national exercise, reflecting a close partnership between the U.S. Army Futures Command and the U.S. Army Europe and Africa. The initiative combines experimental technologies and formations to inform further capability requirements for the Army of 2030 and beyond. (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
07 Dec 23. Vrgineers unveils new mixed reality HMD. Vrgineers has developed a new version of its mixed reality (MR) XTAL head-mounted display (HMD) and displayed it for the first time at the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC 2023) in Orlando.
Marek Pol?ák, the company’s CEO and co-founder, told Janes that while there was little room for improvement in virtual reality (VR) HMD technology, there was still scope for improvement in MR but this required a new architecture because the standard image processing pipeline used in MR HMDs had reached its maximum capability. The new architecture is based on removing parts of the pipeline to lower latency and improve performance.
Polák explained that currently in a standard MR HMD image, data from the headset image sensor undergoes some initial image processing in the headset, which downgrades the image before it is processed through a central processing unit (CPU) and random-access memory (RAM), and then by an image graphics processing unit (GPU) before finally being combined with VR imagery in another GPU. (Source: Janes)
06 Dec 23. New high-altitude spying program to come to US Army in fiscal 2025. The U.S. Army plans to start a new program in fiscal 2025 to develop and field a new high-altitude platform capable of deep sensing, according to Brig. Gen. Ed Barker, the service’s program executive officer for intelligence, electronic warfare and sensors.
The service wants to use sensors to conduct intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations across wider ranges at greater distances, buying reaction time to respond to potential threats, for instance.
“We’re looking at these kinds of novel platforms when it comes to what capabilities can we acquire either from a high-altitude balloon, solar and fixed-wing aircraft,” Barker said in a Dec. 5 briefing with reporters. “Really looking at affordability and the balancing of low [size, weight and power], and high-efficiency sensors to take advantage of these [high-altitude payload] capabilities.”
The Army has released requests for information, he said — one in February and another in October. More RFIs are to come out within the next four to six months.
The service has for years experimented with high-altitude balloons and long-endurance, fixed-wing, solar-powered platforms capable of operating in the stratosphere. The Army is now pursuing prototyping efforts meant to lead to programs of record.
A year ago, the Army Requirements Oversight Council greenlighted the pursuit of high-altitude balloons and fixed-wing, solar-powered platforms along with payloads capable of deep sensing, per an abbreviated capabilities development document, Col. Dave Mulack, who manages related capabilities for Army Space and Missile Defense Command, told Defense News in an interview this year.
The service is now working to get requirements approved for four other different payloads. For instance, the council has not yet validated a navigation warfare payload but is in the process. Navigation warfare sensors help spot, locate and identify possible interference with position, navigation and timing reception.
The other three payloads are likely to be assured positioning, navigation and timing; network extension; and a launched effects capability.
For deep sensing, “think ISR payloads [in the] stratosphere that provide the capability to extend longer [and] deeper [into] areas to provide situational understanding,” Mulack said.
The Army has tested deep-sensing capability through theater-level exercises in the Indo-Pacific Command and European Command areas of operations with a focus on pairing the right sensor or payload with the right high-altitude platform — whether that is a small, medium or large balloon, or a fixed-wing, solar-powered platform flying between 60,000 and 100,000 feet.
The Army’s multidomain task forces are involved in the experimentations. For example, the group in Europe used three high-altitude balloons as targeting sensors in the 2021 exercise Thunder Cloud in Norway. The Pacific-based task force experimented with a deep-sensing, high-altitude capability at even greater ranges in naval exercises like Vanguard in 2023. (Source: Defense News)
05 Dec 23. New deep space radar will transform UK security.
• New space capability programme to improve global security.
• Cawdor Barracks in Wales identified as preferred UK site, conditional on Environmental Impact Assessment and Town planning approval.
• All three global radar sites to be operational by the end of the decade.
A new landmark radar initiative with the UK’s closest partners will increase UK security by being able to better detect, track and identify objects in deep space.
The Deep Space Advanced Radar Capability (DARC) programme – unveiled by the respective Defence Secretaries of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States – will provide 24/7, all-weather capabilities that will increase AUKUS nations’ ability to characterise objects deep in space up to 22,000 miles (36,000 kilometres) away from earth.
DARC will see a global network of three ground-based radars to be jointly operated that will assist in critical space-traffic management and contribute to the global surveillance of satellites in deep space. The unique geographic positioning of the three nations means that DARC can provide global coverage, including detecting potential threats to defence or civilian space systems.
As the danger of space warfare increases, this landmark capability will benefit all three nations’ land, air, and maritime forces, as well as protecting critical infrastructure and benefitting our domestic construction and space industries.
UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps said: “As the world becomes more contested and the danger of space warfare increases, the UK and our allies must ensure we have the advanced capabilities we need to keep our nations’ safe. Today’s announcement of a global radar network (DARC), based across the UK, US and Australia will do just that. Empowering the UK to detect, track and identify objects in deep space.”
Cawdor Barracks in Pembrokeshire Wales has been identified as the UK’s preferred site for DARC. The final siting decision is conditional on the results of the ongoing comprehensive MOD-funded Environmental Impact Assessment and subsequent Town Planning application.
Cawdor Barracks is currently the home to a British Army Signals Regiment which is due to relocate from 2028. Retention of the Base by the MOD for DARC is likely to boost the local Pembrokeshire economy, creating employment during the construction phase and providing up to 100 longer-term jobs.
Alongside DARC’s defence benefits, it also has the capability to monitor and protect the essential services that rely on satellites in space, including everyday aspects of life such as communications and navigation.
This will play a crucial role in AUKUS’ ability to preserve peace and deter conflict in the Indo-Pacific and the rest of the world.
These new radar systems have higher sensitivity, better accuracy, increased capacity, and more agile tracking than current radars and optical systems tracking objects in deep space orbit. This will see greater global monitoring provided to inform UK defence operations, bypassing the current inclement weather and daylight limitations of some current capabilities.
The first DARC radar site, which is being constructed in Australia, is expected to be operational in 2026, with all three sites operational by the end of the decade.
The DARC programme follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in September 2023. DARC will enhance our collective space domain awareness, which is a key objective of the UK’s Defence Space Strategy, published last year.
AUKUS is a landmark security and defence partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US to support a free and open Indo-Pacific by strengthening regional global security. The development of DARC is a significant step forward for delivery of enhanced security capabilities between the partner nations. (Source: https://www.gov.uk/)
05 Dec 23. US to modernise secretive Saudi RE-3A surveillance aircraft. The modernisation of Saudi Arabia’s two RE-3A signals intelligence platforms could see them upgraded to the RE-3B standard, one of which is operated by the Gulf Kingdom.
The US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Saudi Arabia of RE-3A Tactical Airborne Surveillance System (TASS) aircraft modernisation and related equipment for an estimated cost of $582m.
The 4 December announcement, published by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA), stated that Saudi Arabia had earlier requested to purchase hardware and software modifications to modernise its fleet of RE-3A TASS aircraft.
Including in its request were seven GPS/INS security systems with selective anti-proofing module, five L3Harris BlackRock communications intelligence sensor suites, KY-100M narrowband/wideband secure communications terminals, integrated signals intelligence (SIGINT) systems, among other equipment. The principal contractor will be L3 Technologies, the DSCA stated.
According to GlobalData, Saudi Arabia operates two RE-3A TASS aircraft, and one RE-3B variant, all acquired from Boeing between 1981-1986. The RE-3A are among the Gulf Kindgom’s most secretive platforms, conducting SIGINT operations and the gathering of electronic data.
The aircraft are similar to the RC-135 Rivet Joint operated by the US and UK, which were derived from the C-135 design from Boeing. Saudi’s Arabia’s RE-3A/B aircraft share a common ancestry, through The Boeing 707 platform. (Source: airforce-technology.com)
04 Dec 23. Need for counter-drone assets similar to large-calibre ammunition, says Pentagon acquisition chief. US Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, Dr William LaPlante, says that the conflicts in Ukraine and Israel are among the factors influencing a view that the need for counter-drone assets is accelerating almost exponentially.
Speaking at the Reagan National Defense Forum in Simi Valley, CA, he said “The production for counter-UAS [has] to go through the roof […] It’s like where we were about a year ago when we said 155 is going to have to go to 100,000 a month”. DoD’s own acquisition of C-UAS capabilities is already the subject of several initiatives, such as the Replicator programme, and AeroVironment’s Switchblade loitering munition, for example, is already is use in Ukraine and has reportedly been requested by Israel.
Another factor underlining the urgency from the Pentagon’s point of view is that US forces have regularly been attacked by drones launched out of Yemen since October – with approaching 60 non-fatal casualties to date.
The challenge, though, is similar to that expressed recently by the Ukraine Armed Forces Chief of Staff – the imperative need to be able to produce highly competent but intrinsically simple drones at scale. Ammunition manufacture in the US has recently quadrupled in volume: it appears a similar effort will be needed in order to meet the accelerating demands for security and response capability with regard to the burgeoning drone threat. Affordability is one issue that exercises nations such as Ukraine: in the case of the United States it is more a question of funding than cost. Industry needs to ramp up and, in order to meet the demand for speed and responsiveness, it is likely it will need help in the form of funding to facilitate the increase in production – at a time when the Pentagon has yet to put a number around its likely requirement: a position exacerbated by the continuing farrago of the lack of a full-year funding approval by Congress.
The need undoubtedly exists. Industry is ready, willing and, to a degree, able to respond. It is now a question of the DoD walking the walk. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
04 Dec 23. Pharovision and Sentrycs conduct three-month drone detection and mitigation test for FAA. The US Federal Aviation Administration selected Pahrovision and Sentrycs to conduct a three-month drone detection and mitigation test at Atlantic City Airport earlier this year.
The testing period started in early July with a view to determining the efficacy of drone tracking, identification, and mitigation capabilities at airports. The companies’ complementary technologies identify and subdue any rogue or unfriendly UAS in the airport’s area of interest. The FAA testing regimen serves to ensure that relevant technologies or systems developed, tested, or deployed by authorised federal departments and agencies do not adversely impact or interfere with safe and efficient operation of the National Airspace System (NAS).
Drone incidents at airports have increased exponentially in recent years, at major and minor hubs from London Gatwick to Washington Reagan National. As drone technology becomes more sophisticated, the frequency of events accelerates and the potential impact is more substantial – ranging from runway shutdowns to catastrophic damage to aircraft. This year, over 60% of drone-aircraft close encounters occurred within 200 feet of an airport: it has never been more imperative to secure American airports with tried and tested counter-drone technology.
“Sentrycs’ solution, based on powerful RF protocol analytics, is specially designed for countering unauthorised drones at airports without causing disruption, ensuring detection and interception of a drone is achieved without collateral damage or interference with the airport’s day-to-day operations,” said Sentrycs CEO, Yoav Zaltzman. “Combining our technology with Pharovision’s detection expertise is a showcase in industry collaboration and advanced counter-drone security”.
The companies have combined their technological solutions to provide defence in depth for counter-drone airport solutions. Sentrycs’ activity is fed to Pharovision through an open API to combine identification and tracking information. Pharovision’s unique scanning EO/IR detection systems work in tandem with Sentrycs techniques to identify and track unauthorised drones. For more information: https://sentrycs.com
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
30 Nov 23. Russian DIY drone jamming solutions “proving to be counter-productive.” A wealth of recent reports on social media – in Ukraine, Russia and elsewhere – have focused attention on an ironic development in the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian conflict: attempts by Russian troops to use existing radio jamming systems developed for different uses are being frustrated by the destructive power of Ukrainian drones that seem unaffected by the jammers.
Conflict breeds improvisation and ingenuity in the search for survival and the conflict in Ukraine is no exception. There is evidence that Russian forces are jury-rigging a counter-UAS solution by attaching RP-377 radio jammers to their vehicles, seeking to jam or otherwise disrupt the control signals of hostile drones. The problem they face is that the RP-377 – the most widely issued jammer in Russian EW brigades – is not terribly effective against the drones in daily use in the Ukrainian theatre of operations. The result – a whole spate of videos circulating on social media depicting RP-377-equipped vehicles being destroyed by a variety of FPV drones.
The device was originally developed to disrupt battlefield communications and to prevent IEDs from detonating. Effective in those roles – which explains its continued deployment with frontline units – it appears to lack the specific capabilities that would enable it to negate the destructive effect of Ukraine’s large drone fleet. A similar case applies to another jury-rigged solution adopted by Russian troops, adhering GPS jammers to their vehicles, only to see them destroyed by GPS-guided munitions.
The most likely reason for the failure, according to informed observers, is that – unlike IEDs – many drones feature frequency-hopping and agile communications capabilities, meaning that a relatively simple jammer will have much less effect on them.
It is instructive to compare this circumstance with that posited in yesterday’s post on the apparent success of Russian counter-UAS at a rather more strategic level. As in most issues in modern warfare, it is a case of ‘horses for courses’. Tools developed to do one job are very often incapable of performing another, apparently closely allied mission, no matter how much ingenuity is devoted to adapting a technology, procedure or tactic. (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
04 Dec 23. Russian attempts to improve drone performance “may have contributed to significant recent losses.” Social media posts recently from Victory Drone – a Ukrainian drone developer and training company – reveal interesting developments surrounding the defeat of a mass attack mounted by Russia recently, using scores of Shahed-136 drone (see earlier Unmanned Airspace report here).
SIM cards from Ukraine telecoms company Kyivstar were found inside some of the drones shot down by Ukrainian forces. The company suggests this would enable Russian operators to track the drones and gain additional navigational information. “On the night of the extreme mass attack of the Shahed, we intercepted a strong signal from the air as the Shahed flew through observation points,” the company stated on its Telegram account. “Several downed bombs were equipped with LTE mobile modems with MIMO antennas. Everything was mounted on tape.” The statement went on to conclude that the evidence pointed to experimentation by Russia rather than the results of series production of a new capability.
One possible motivation for such a modification lies in Russia’s continued attempts to find methods of circumventing the effects of GPS-denial tactics by Ukraine. Periodic updating of the drone’s position via cell towers, for example, would help refine navigation and terminal attack calculations. That, and the ability for the drone to send burst transmissions back to the operator containing important updates, could provide significant advantage in the current spate of attacks – especially when the attack drones are operating in an urban environment, where cell coverage can be expected to be reasonably robust. In addition, Russia’s relatively poor forward reconnaissance abilities mean that bomb damage assessment is often difficult, so knowing a drone has reached its intended target will help with intelligence analysis and tactical planning. The presence of such functionality in the current generation of Shahed-136 may be harbinger of further developments to come, as Russia gears up to produce the Geran-2 variant of the Iranian drone in Yelabuga (see Unmanned Airspace report here).
Whatever the intention, however, the emissions from an active SIM card can be quite easily picked up by electronic support measures (ESM), providing geolocation and limited directional information, thus offering advanced warning and alerting for air defence forces. This, indeed, may have been a contributory factor to Ukraine’s apparent success in defeating the recent mass attack: the Ukrainian armed forces claim to have downed “74 out of 75” Shaheds involved in the attack. As Russia seeks to improve performance, lethality and survivability of its drones – which constitute an increasingly important component of the conflict in Ukraine – it must do so without increasing vulnerability as a result of technology insertion. Which this innovation – apparently – fails to do.
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
05 Dec 23. Examination of sUAS operations in proximity to a major U.S. Airport. An examination of sUAS operations in proximity to a major U.S. Airport is a study by Ryan J. Wallace, Scott R. Winter, Stephen Rice, Jon M. Loffi, Shlok Misra, Sang-A Lee, Joshua Park, Abigail Neff, and Cole McNall. The entire study will be published in Volume 76- Technology in Society– March 2024.
Abstract
The proliferation of small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (sUAS) has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Although operators are expected to avoid conducting operations close to airports, violations occasionally occur. In severe instances, such violations can lead to the complete suspension of flights at major airports worldwide. These disruptions have far-reaching consequences, resulting in the cancellation of thousands of flights and the displacement of hundreds of thousands of passengers. Compounding this issue is the scarcity of empirical data, hindering our understanding of the extent and nature of sUAS operations near major airports.
This study aims to address this gap by objectively analyzing data collected over 36 months to assess the characteristics of sUAS operations in the vicinity of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport (DFW). The findings offer empirical insights into the types of sUAS operations around DFW, variations in yearly operations, compliance levels with UAS facility maps, types and timings of sUAS flights, and launching points. The data reveals a growing trend in operations from 2018 to 2020, with a potential plateau in 2021 and beyond. Approximately 70% of sUAS operations occur at the 400-foot grid levels or points farther away from critical airport operations. Flights exhibit seasonality and daily operation patterns, with a discernible increase in smaller vehicles weighing less than 250 g.
Beyond presenting these results, the authors discuss the practical implications for National Airspace System (NAS) safety and the challenges of integrating new sUAS operations, such as drone deliveries and Advanced Air Mobility operations, into communities.
Introduction
In December 2018, during the final days of the Christmas travel rush, United Kingdom’s Gatwick Airport leadership received reports of a drone sighted in proximity to the airfield. To protect the safety of air traffic against the risk of a possible collision, the challenging decision was made to close the airport, thereby restricting takeoff and landings to scheduled air service and other aviation stakeholders. In collaboration with law enforcement agencies, airport personnel attempted to reconcile more than 170 reported drone sightings during the event. The airport would remain closed for nearly 30 h, resulting in the cancellation or disruption of more than 1,000 flights and upending the travel arrangements of upwards of 140,000 passengers [1]. In the wake of the incident, police contacted 1,200 local residents, collected statements from 222 witnesses, and identified 96 persons of interest but eventually closed the case without a clear suspect [2].
In addition to the operational disruption and reputational damage to the airport, the economic fallout was extensive. EasyJet, the largest Gatwick-based airline operator, incurred £15m in revenue and compensatory customer costs [3]. Extrapolating easyJet’s losses to other impacted carriers suggests airlines lost a cumulative £40 m from the incident. Gatwick Airport reportedly lost an estimated £15 m in revenue. Public safety agencies incurred more than £459,000 in primarily officer overtime costs [4]. An errant arrest costs law enforcement agencies a further £200,000 in settlement fees [1]. Insurance claims and other indirect expenses further add to the economic impact incurred from the event.
A similar U.S. incident played out on a smaller scale in New Jersey in January 2019, when pilots spotted a pair of unmanned aircraft flying near Teterboro Airport at 3,500 feet, halting traffic at nearby Newark Liberty Airport [5]. During the 90-min suspension, more than 40 flights were delayed, with other approaching aircraft forced to hold or consider using alternate airports [6]. The trend of drone-induced airport interruptions continues into 2022, when on July 21, a drone was spotted at Ronald Reagan International Airport in Washington, D.C., causing a 30-min ground stop and subsequent delay for both departing and arriving flights [7]. In other cases, the risks to aviation are much more grave. In February 2018, a video surfaced on Facebook of small, unmanned aircraft taking off from a parking lot just 3.5 miles from McCarran airport. In the video, a Frontier Airlines A320 passes underneath as the drone maneuvers to keep the jet in the video frame [8]. This near-collision highlights the potentially high risk posed by sUAS operations that fail to follow established safety rules.
As the number of sUAS flights continues to grow nationwide for commercial and recreational use, airports continue to experience challenges. While most sUAS operators follow the rules, it is becoming clear that a small number of non-compliant users—or the occasional rule violation by typically compliant users—can create potentially grave safety or security risks for manned aircraft.
Compounding the problem of responding to hazardous sUAS operations around airports is the lack of available empirical data to understand the complete nature of the issue better and inform upon potential solutions. According to [9], “Because UAS operations are very diverse, still relatively new, and limited, data are expensive to collect, scarce or non-existent, and in some cases not very reliable …” (p. 39). The [10]; a drone industry advocacy group, further highlighted the lack of available data, calling on the Federal Aviation Administration and National Aeronautics and Space Administration to commit resources toward evaluating low-altitude UAS operations across the U.S. Until such studies can be performed, there is little data to advise airport operators about the nature and extent of risks associated with nearby sUAS operations. According to Ref. [9]; some examples of empirical data include: UAS-encounter statistics, low-altitude environmental data, and performance data for UAS detection and avoidance technologies.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the low-altitude environment to codify the characteristics of the sUAS operations near a major U.S. commercial airport using UAS Detection, Tracking, and Identification (DTI) technology. The results will assist airport executives, aviation regulatory bodies, public safety personnel, and other stakeholders in better understanding, preventing, and responding to risks posed by sUAS operations conducted near airfields or airports, restricted airspace, stadiums or other mass gatherings, and critical infrastructure.
In order to define empirical data points of further use, the research team assessed five necessary components of data, yielding the following research questions:
• What is the extent of sUAS operations around a major U.S. airport?
• How do sUAS operations vary throughout the calendar year?
• When are sUAS flown during the day?
• What are the characteristics of sUAS are being flown?
• Where do sUAS flights most commonly originate (launch point)?
This information was provided with the approval of the study’s primary author. (Source: https://cuashub.com/)
05 Dec 23. HENSOLDT Enters into Strategic Collaboration with Wings For Aid. Sensor solution provider HENSOLDT and the Dutch company Wings For Aid have entered into a strategic partnership. The aim of the two-stage cooperation is to improve the air safety of cargo drones. Wings For Aid has developed the “MiniFreighter”, a 650-kg Remotely Piloted Aircraft System (RPAS) that delivers humanitarian goods to people isolated by natural disasters and man-made crises.
In the first phase, these cargo drones will be equipped with the “SferiRec LCR 100” flight data recorder. Equipped with this, the drone will have a significantly improved recording capability of the flight attitude data and the flight control system. The drone has already completed successful flight tests at various locations, including Magdeburg-Cochstedt airfield. This is home to the DLR’s National Test Centre for Unmanned Aircraft Systems, one of Wings For Aid’s partners.
In a possible second step, further technical upgrades will be added to increase aircraft autonomy and improve the Wings For Aid flight test capability as Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) and global system provider. The operational data collected from test and flight missions up to that point can be used directly for this purpose.
Capabilities such as “Detect and Avoid” (DAA) and the improvement of the Drop Zone Safety Automation System should then ensure that the operational range is increased and the workload of the pilot-operator is significantly reduced. This is essential to scale up so-called BVLOS (beyond visual line of sight) flights with multiple aircraft.
“We are very proud to be making a contribution that will enable relief supplies to be transported to crisis areas even faster and more cost-effectively in the future,”
says Steffen Kolditz, Head of the Airborne Solutions business unit at HENSOLDT. (Source: UAS VISION)
01 Dec 23. Anduril unveils jet-powered interceptor designed to down enemy drones, missiles. For the past two years, Anduril Industries has been secretly building what executives say is a first-of-a-kind, turbojet-powered craft that can down incoming drones or missiles, perform reconnaissance, and handle other missions.
Called Road Runner, the six-foot, delta-winged craft can take off and land vertically and fly autonomously. So is it a missile or a drone?
“We had this problem when we were figuring out how we’re going to market this thing,” Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said Thursday at the company’s headquarters here. “Is it a recoverable missile? Is it a reusable missile? Is it a loitering munition? Is it an armed UAS? It is something that’s never really quite existed before. It is a bit of a new category.”
Luckey and Chris Brose, the company’s chief strategy officer, said the Road Runner has been a U.S. government customer that they were not allowed to disclose. They also said the lethal version of Road Runner has been “operationally assessed,” but that they were prohibited from saying where or if it has been deployed.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to questions about whether it was using the drone.
Anduril believes the autonomous craft could help defend against drones, missiles, and even aircraft.
“You are not going to be able to counter a threat that is becoming larger and larger in a quantitative sense simply by throwing more people and more money at the problem,” Brose said. “We see a lot of air defense capability that requires huge amounts of manpower [and] huge amounts of manual labor to make systems integrate to make capabilities close. Our belief is, if you’re fighting large-scale systems, you have to be able to leverage autonomy to get after that problem.”
For years, the Pentagon has relied on interceptor missiles like the Patriot to defend against missiles or aircraft. But such weapons are expensive—especially compared to the cheap drones they’ve been used against in recent years.
“I think America needs to have as many Patriot missiles as we’re capable of building but it’s impractical to imagine fielding Patriot batteries to all of these sites that are now inside of that threat ring,” Brose said.
Pentagon officials have long lamented the high cost of countering adversaries’ inexpensive drones and missiles. Anduril executives said that Road Runner’s price tag is in the “low six figures” right now and would fall even lower when orders come rolling in.
They believe the drone’s low cost compared to larger missile defense interceptors will make it a disruptor.
“I’m pretty sure that we’ve built the first recoverable weapon, which is pretty cool,” Brose said. “It fundamentally changes how operators can think about shot doctrine in the air defense fight.”
Road Runner was born from a napkin sketch about two years ago. Its explosive warhead could be replaced with an intelligence sensor that could take pictures of fast-moving enemy aircraft, ships, or even spot nascent wildfires before they spread. Luckey sees the Road Runner being used in a host of roles, from defending military bases to protecting critical infrastructure.
A company video shows the half-drone, half-missile launching from a white box that resembles an oversized refrigerator or deep freezer. The so-called “nest” is climate-controlled and monitors the health of the Road Runner, Luckey said.
“It’s doing the job that typically would have required a team of aircraft maintainers in a hangar to do: keeping a jet aircraft ready to get off the ground very quickly,” he said. “It does that totally autonomously, for months at a time.”
Road Runner is powered by company-made jet engines, which are being used “in five different products,” Luckey said. When landing, the drone looks like a cape-wearing superhero slowly floating to the ground.
The company is building the drones on a production line here and aims to make hundreds or more per year.
“There’s no reason that you can’t have 100,000 Road Runners just sitting around all over the world ready to do their thing with a very small number of people managing all of them,” Luckey said.
So how did the company settle on the name Road Runner?
“One of the competitors is the Coyote block two,” Luckey said referring to the RTX-made counter-drone system. “We’re all competitors. We’re just having a little fun with each other.”
Founded in 2017, Anduril has introduced several tech-heavy products, including several anti-drone systems.
“I’m supposed to love all my children equally, but this one’s definitely my favorite,” Luckey said. (Source: Defense News Early Bird/Defense One)
04 Dec 23. Russia Creates Miniature ‘Friend or Foe’ System to Identify Drones. A new small-sized transponder for identifying drones, presented at the Electronics of Russia exhibition by the Ruselectronics holding, is capable of revolutionizing the unmanned aerial vehicle industry. The device, developed by NPP Pulsar, operates on the “friend or foe” principle and automatically marks friendly UAVs at an altitude of up to 5 km and a distance of up to 100 km from the radio interrogator.
One of the key features of the innovative miniature device is its ability to work with the Russian Password identification system. Such devices are widely used in aviation to identify differences between their own equipment and that of the enemy. With the development of unmanned aircraft systems and the presence of a large number of them in the zone of a special military operation, there is a need for devices that can determine the identity of the UAV.
The identification device is designed taking into account the requirements for mobility and versatility. It is lightweight, not exceeding 150 grams, and low power consumption of 100 mV allow the device to be integrated into a wide range of civil and special-purpose drones, such as reconnaissance ones. This opens up new opportunities for the use of drones on the battlefield, where they serve as fire spotters, as well as surveillance and fire weapons.
General Director of NPP Pulsar Sergei Borovoy emphasized the importance of such identifications in modern conflicts, where both sides often use the same models of drones. This makes their visual identification difficult – often in the reports of Russian military officers, soldiers on the front line notice that they hear a drone, but it is impossible to understand whether it is one of their own or someone else’s.
The use of a new identifier will make it possible to reliably distinguish the identity of a UAV, which will increase the efficiency and safety of the actions of Russian units.
The equipment works with equipment using the Russian “Password” identification system – the state system of ‘friend or foe’ radar identification written about in February 2015, in “Rossiyskaya Gazeta” by the general designer of the system Ildusa Mostyukov, whose activities were kept secret for many years.
The ‘friend or foe’ identification system originated during the Second World War. It first appeared among the US and British troops, where losses from friendly fire amounted to 20-25%. Following them, a similar system was developed in the USSR, the publication wrote.
Russia had to start work almost from scratch. It was impossible to rely on global experience in this area. This equipment will be in service for a very long time. It cannot be deciphered. Airplanes with the “Password” system fell into the hands of a potential enemy many times, but this no longer mattered. There were no “filled” codes in the equipment. Thousands of their variants change every second according to a random law.
Only two countries in the world could afford such developments – the USA and the USSR. The cost of the system is so enormous that not every country can afford it. The search for money for the Russian project was personally carried out by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Alexey Kosygin. The development cost about $5 bn.
Military tests took place in 1980. If they had been a little late, the system would not have seen the light of day, because the factories collapsed, and the country would not have been able to afford to spend that kind of money in the 90s. (Source: UAS VISION/Aviation21; RussiaPosts English)
01 Dec 23. Drone Detection and Tracking Using RF Identification Signals.
Drone Detection and Tracking Using RF Identification Signals is an article by Driss Aouladhadj, Ettien Kpre, Virginie Deniau, Aymane Kharchouf, Christophe Gransart, and Christophe Gaquière.
This study introduces a method for identifying drone models by analyzing radio frequency (RF) signals and extracting real-time telemetry data by decoding Drone ID packets. Implemented with a development board, the system enables efficient drone tracking, with performance evaluations showing maximum detection distances of 1.3 km for the Mavic Air, 1.5 km for the Mavic 3, and 3.7 km for the Mavic 2 Pro.
The system accurately estimates 2D position, altitude, and speed in real-time, demonstrating promising accuracy in position estimation with worst-case distances of 35 m (Mavic 2 Pro), 17m (Mavic Air), and 15 m (Mavic 3). Altitude and speed measurements exhibit relative errors of 14% and 7%, respectively. Reaction times for securing a vulnerable site within a 200m radius are calculated as 1.83 min (Mavic Air), 1.03 min (Mavic 3), and 2.92 min (Mavic 2 Pro). This system effectively addresses concerns related to drone threats, enhancing public safety and security.
Publication Date– September 2023
Drone Detection and Tracking Using RF Identification Signals contains the following major sections:
• Introduction
• Background and Related Work
• Drone Communication Protocols
• Drone Detection and Tracking Methodology
• Detection and Tracking Hardware System
• Detection and Tracking Software System
• Experimental Setup
• Detection and Tracking Assessment
• Discussion about the Results
• Conclusions and Future Work
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Authors- Driss Aouladhadj, Ettien Kpre, Virginie Deniau, Aymane Kharchouf, Christophe Gransart, and Christophe Gaquière.
(Source: https://cuashub.com/)
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