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17 June 21. US Army could soon have a high-power microwave to destroy small drone swarms. The U.S. Army is set to begin development and integration of a high-power microwave capability to destroy small drone threats beginning in fiscal 2022, according to budget justification documents released with the financial request.
The service plans to spend more than $50m in FY22 to develop technology to counter small drones and is working jointly across the services to establish an enduring architecture of solutions to address the threat.
The Defense Department established the Army-led Joint Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Office, or JCO, almost two years ago, laying out a path for how it will develop a system to counter small UAS and establishing an interim group of systems to be used as a bridge to the enduring capability.
Specifically, the Army is budgeting $18.73m in FY22 to develop, integrate and test new technologies that could lead to a solution that involves high-power microwaves, or HPM,, which could contribute to neutralizing both singular drone threats and entire swarms.
Already underway is an effort to integrate low-collateral effects interceptors into an enduring counter-sUAS system, but other defeat mechanisms will be developed and incorporated into the architecture.
The Army plans to conduct a development phase to establish a high-power microwave capability from FY22 through the second quarter of FY23, according to a timeline laid out in the documents.
Prototyping for an HPM Ground Increment I effort will run through FY22, and a system test will take place in the first quarter of FY23, followed by a prototype delivery in the third quarter of FY23.
The Army also plans to field an HPM capability to destroy drone swarms as part of its Indirect Fires Protection Capability system that will defend fixed sites against drones, cruise missiles, rockets, artillery and mortars. The service is developing it with the Air Force, which is in charge of the research and development work. The Army is supplying the funding to build prototypes.
The weapon known as THOR — or Tactical High Power Operational Responder — was demonstrated at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, in February this year. The Army plans to conduct field testing as early as FY24.
Regarding the low-collateral effects interceptor, the Army is set to begin integration and testing of a solution starting in the fourth quarter of FY21 and ending in the third quarter of FY22. Final integration will wrap up in the first quarter of FY23, and the capability will transition to production in the second quarter of FY23, according to budget documents.
Three vendors — Boeing-owned Aurora Flight Sciences, Elta North America and Xtend — demonstrated low-collateral effects capabilities at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, this year. The demonstration is the first in a series of events, likely to take place twice a year, where the joint force will examine solutions that fill current capability gaps and are ready to transition into the field.
The Pentagon is planning its next demonstration of possible counter-sUAS capabilities in September this year that will focus on hand-held options to destroy small drones. (Source: Defense News)
18 June 21. Anti-Drone Systems Used at Biden-Putin Summit. The Belgian police were seen wielding systems made by Australia’s DroneShield and Britain’s OpenWorks Engineering. The security forces of Belgium were armed with two types of weapons against drones as part of the network for protection of U.S. President Joe Biden during his meeting this week in Brussels with Belgian King Phillipe. Pictures of the two systems were published on social networks. The fact that the defense of leaders today includes anti-drone weapons is a reminder that the small unmanned aircraft could even be used for assassination attempts. Belgian federal policemen wielded a weapon that launches munitions toward drones as well as a device that jams and blocks transmissions using radio frequencies in order to cut the communications between hostile drones and their operators. It was reported that the jamming weapon, made by Australian company DroneShield, can make the drone deviate from its flight path and even turn around and return to the location where it took off via radio frequencies. The weapon is said to be ineffective against autonomous unmanned aircraft, which are not connected to their controllers by a communication channel.
The second system seen with the Belgian security forces was the Skywall Patrol, made by Britain’s OpenWorks Engineering, which fires small munitions using compressed air.
SkyWall Patrol is an operationally-deployed system that gives a mobile operator the ability to physically capture a drone in a net, used in conjunction with electronic counter-measures for a layered defence, or in environments where electronic attack cannot be deployed.
It uses compressed air to launch a projectile up to the drone after the operator has targeted it using the onboard SmartScope, that compensates for drone speed and range automatically. Conventional weapons often fail to incapacitate a drone and do not offer a proportionate response to the drone threat and they can also escalate a situation when used in the vicinity of large crowds. (Source: UAS VISION/Israel Defense; Website)
16 Jun 21. South Korea to deploy rail-mounted robot, AI-based surveillance systems to enhance border security. South Korea plans to deploy two new surveillance systems later this year to enhance round-the-clock border security amid heightened tensions with neighbouring North Korea. The country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a 16 June statement that the systems – a rail-mounted robot and an artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled video and audio system – are being acquired through a fast-track procurement process and will initially be introduced as part of six-month-long trials starting in October (for the AI-based system) and December (for the rail-mounted system). The systems are expected to enter service shortly thereafter should they meet the military’s requirements. The ‘Mobile Rail Robot Surveillance System’ has been designed to move along a rail at a speed of 5 m/s. It is equipped with what are understood to be motion sensors and a high-resolution, pan-tilt-zoom camera capable of remote control. The sensor suite enables the robot to detect and track unusual movements made by even relatively small objects (0.3 × 0.3 m) out to a distance of more than 1 km during the day and of more than 200 m at night, according to DAPA. Should unusual movements be detected, the robot can automatically alert the control centre or send out an audible warning to the source of the movement. (Source: Jane’s)
16 June 21. US Navy tests DroneShield’s counter-UAS. The Sydney-based company has demonstrated the capability of its counter-UAS technology before US Navy officials. ASX-listed technology company DroneShield has put its DroneSentry-X counter-UAS detect-and-defeat system to the test, demonstrating its capability during an exercise with the US Navy.
The system was deployed aboard the Stiletto maritime demonstration boat over a six-week period, completing a number of performance and evaluation tasks. The exercise included the testing of DroneSentry-X’s detection capability, detection and defeat ranges, on-the-move operation, and drone swarm defences.
“DroneSentry-X provides an unmatched capability and spectrum awareness for moving and fixed site platforms against a wide range of threats,” Oleg Vornik, CEO of DroneShield, said.
“We are pleased to complete this demonstration supporting an important part of the US Navy’s mission.”
DroneSentry-X is a detection and optional mitigation platform, designed to be adaptable for a wide range of operational environments and applications, including ground mobility operations, maritime security, and fixed-site base operations.
The platform leverages RFAI — DroneShield’s AI/ML signal detection and classification engine.
DroneSentry-X’s open architecture has been developed to enable users to integrate the platform with other solutions in a bid to enhance existing mission systems or counter-UAS capabilities.
The US Navy demonstration follows DroneShield’s receipt of a two-year defence contract worth $3.8m from an undisclosed Five Eyes country.
Approximately $2m of the total contract value is scheduled for the June and September quarters of 2021.
The firm’s defence products include DroneGun, which provides directional antennas in a lightweight robust rifle style design, featuring a control panel user interface to select and engage the range of jamming frequencies for target defeat.
Last month, DroneShield partnered with US-based firm Zenith AeroTech, in a bid to broaden its offering to include counter-drone capabilities delivered via tethered aerial vehicles (TAV).
As part of the collaboration, Zenith AeroTech is expected to deploy DroneShield’s DroneSentry-C2 command-and-control ecosystem and a miniaturised radar into its TAV platforms, supporting counter drone or drone swarm attacks. According to DroneShield, the partnership would enhance longer range drone detection and countermeasure capabilities. (Source: Defence Connect)
17 June 21. Hit the biggest guy first: Vulnerability of vehicles in a modern battlezone. Modern warfare and tactics are regularly evolving, and asymmetric warfare is becoming a core discipline. Though this evolution raises the question of whether we are keeping up. Using affordable drones on the battlefield enables effective payload delivery (either via the drone’s own arsenal or by calling a precision strike), and combat vehicles are clearly high-value targets on the battlefield.
The Australian government is in the process of renewing its land Order of Battle (ORBAT), with many large programs completed, underway, or about to move into delivery. Think the top-end of town: LAND 8116 (Self-Propelled Howitzers), LAND 400-2 (Combat Reconnaissance Vehicles), LAND 400-3 (Infantry Fighting Vehicles) and of course the mighty Abrams tank. All of these serve important roles in the battlefield.
However, much like many systems hardened against conventional attacks, they have glaring weak spots against small drones. The threat can’t be underestimated.
In the Hollywood universe, a machine gunner on top of a tank will take out a drone with a snappy three-round burst; back in the real-world, a manually aimed section attack will expend thousands of rounds and is still likely to fail to take down a small, highly manoeuvrable drone further than a few hundred metres away – all the while tunnel-visioning on the drone as they percussively announce their presence to everyone in the vicinity. A burst of well-aimed 30mm proximity rounds could be an effective, albeit expensive answer, but it assumes that the crew detect the drone before it is above their firing arcs.
In reality, large tanks are often unaware they’ve been geo-located, and are hit without warning. In the recent Azerbaijan-Armenia conflict, Azerbaijani forces relied heavily on the extensive use of Turkish-supplied drones, which are credited for taking out extensive amounts of Armenian combat vehicles.
Against a near-peer, the first they will know is that they have an intimate appointment with enemy Close Air Support. Against an asymmetric threat, it’s more likely a swarm of DJI Phantoms each armed with a medium-sized shaped charge or similar munition. Commercial drones have many options for attack, but they typically want to get above firing arcs and so come in high. As in very high. While DJI software limits the very affordable “Phantom 4” to 500 metres, it is easily cracked and it has a service ceiling of 6,000 metres (just under 20,000 feet). The physics of this scenario is “concerning” to people who are potentially on the receiving end.
Counter-drone systems are beginning to appear more frequently in the battlefield for their ability to ‘listen out’ around the clock, and identify expected and unpredicted threats before they’ve reached close proximity. These systems – compact and sparing precious vehicle real estate – are built with detection sensors that sweep the airspace around a vehicle looking for drones, and then use either jamming defeat (especially overhead), or when needed, cue a kinetic kill to take out the drone while they are still within firing arcs.
US combat vehicles routinely carry counter-drone equipment, however uptake down under is further behind.
The capabilities already exist, and are available right here in Australia.
However, these locally designed and manufactured technologies are typically exported to our allies in the UK and the US allies from multiple Australian companies as they remain beyond budget and scope for Australian vehicles.
This flies in the face of the Australian federal government’s ambition to foster and capitalise from sovereign skills, goods and services through the Australian Industry Capability (AIC) program. Under the AIC, Australian Defence seeks to maximise Australian content and foster the local defence industry, through its procurement policy.
The Australian defence industry has multiple solutions that are collectively sent around the world at a time when focus must increase on solving complex problems through innovation at home. Local companies are pouring investment into systems that can be tailored to fit a plethora of vehicles and scenarios as space, weight, power and cooling all remain at a premium – and they have the capability to do it quickly, cost-effectively and responsively – but that eagerness must be reciprocated by government.
Oleg Vornik is CEO of Australian listed company DroneShield, which specialises in RF sensing, AI and machine learning, sensor fusion, electronic warfare, rapid prototyping and MIL-SPEC manufacturing. (Source: Defence Connect)
15 June 21. DroneSentry-X Successful U.S. Navy Demonstration. DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that its DroneSentry-XTM counter-UAS (C-UAS) detect-and-defeat system successfully completed a demonstration during an exercise with the United States Navy. The system was deployed on the Stiletto maritime demonstration boat for a period of six weeks, successfully completing a wide range of performance and evaluation metrics.
The system demonstrated overall detection capability, detection and defeat ranges, on-the-move operation in various sea states, and effectiveness against drone swarms, involving a wide range of robotic and unmanned threats.
Oleg Vornik, CEO of DroneShield, commented “DroneSentry-XTM provides an unmatched capability and spectrum awareness for moving and fixed site platforms against a wide range of threats. We are pleased to complete this demonstration supporting an important part of the U.S. Navy’s mission.”
DroneSentry-XTM is a high-performance detection and optional mitigation solution adaptable for a wide range of operational environments and applications including ground mobility operations, maritime security as well as fixed-site base requirements. DroneSentry-XTM is powered by RFAI, DroneShield’s cutting-edge AI/ML signal detection and classification engine, providing unparalleled performance in the C-UAS space. DroneSentry-XTM’s open architecture and interoperability allows users to easily integrate DroneSentry-XTM with other solutions to further enhance existing mission systems or counter-UAS capabilities.
The successful demonstration validates other recent DroneSentry-XTM evaluations by the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, and both Federal and State Law Enforcement agencies.
15 June 21. US Army orders 2 prototype sensor suites for next-generation surveillance plane. The U.S. Army selected two companies to design and build prototype sensors for its next-generation airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance system, according to a June 14 announcement. The Army Project Director for Sensors — Aerial Intelligence awarded other transaction authority contracts on June 11 to both L-3 Communications Integrated Systems and Raytheon Applied Signal Technology. The OTA agreements, subject to less stringent competitive requirements to speed up prototyping, are valued at $4.37m over an eight-month period in phase 1, but the overall project could ultimately net the companies $49m during the life of the project.
With the phase 1 awards, each company will develop, build and integrate a suite of electronic intelligence and communications intelligence sensors for the airborne ISR platform called High Accuracy Detection and Exploitation System, or HADES. While the Army has not settled on what platform will host the sensor system, it is currently envisioned as a manned fixed-wing jet that can operate “at altitudes and ranges beyond those of existing platforms,” including the Enhanced Medium Altitude Reconnaissance and Surveillance System, Guardrail’s King Air, and Airborne Reconnaissance Low DHC-8, according to a spokesperson for the aerial intelligence project director. HADES is a joint effort between that office — which is acquiring the sensors — and Project Manager Fixed Wing, which is developing the aircraft.
“The Army is pursuing HADES to address the demands of future Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) against peer- and near-peer adversaries,” said Project Director Dennis Teefy in a statement. “The goal is to provide deep-sensing intelligence collection of indicators and warnings, electronic order of battle, and patterns of life for target development. This will allow stand-off operations to detect, locate, identify and track critical targets for the ground commander.”
HADES is just one piece of the Army’s Multi-Domain Sensing System program, an effort to fill the Army’s deep sensing requirement with a number of sensors that can work with any platform. The family of systems will include several high altitude platforms, including balloons, solar gliders, small satellites and aircraft. While the sensors in this contract are specifically for HADES, the Army expects that they can be applied to other platforms due to open standards engineering practices, said a PD SAI spokesperson.
Phase 1 of the HADES OTA will include sensor demonstrations under controlled conditions, followed by a down-select to one or two vendors for phase 2, which will include design modifications, upgrades and prototype fabrication. Further phases will finalize prototype design and integrate it onto an aircraft platform selected by PM Fixed Wing.
(Source: Defense News)
14 June 21. Mobile Force Protection Program Concludes with Successful Demonstration. In recent tests at Eglin Air Force Base, DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection (MFP) program demonstrated a Counter-Unmanned Air System (C-UAS) multilayer defense architecture to defeat unauthorized drone intrusions over military installations or operations. Development of this low-cost reusable drone interceptor system approach began four years ago with the aim of creating an integrated system for thwarting attacks from self-guided small unmanned aircraft. The goal is to protect high value convoys moving through potentially populated regions where there is a requirement to avoid using explosive defensive weapons and mitigate collateral damage.
The technology demonstrator successfully neutralized tactically-relevant drones using a newly-developed X band radar that automatically senses and identifies unmanned aerial system threats. The radar then pairs targets to specific interceptors through an automated decision engine tied to a command and control system, launching and guiding rotary and fixed wing interceptors with two types of drone countermeasures while on the move and without operator intervention.
“Because we were focusing on protecting mobile assets, the program emphasized solutions with a small footprint in terms of size, weight, and power,” said MFP program manager Gregory Avicola in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. “This also allows for more affordable systems and less operators.”
The requirement that the system field non-kinetic solutions pushed concepts that could be employed in and around civilian areas. The primary drone negation mechanism shoots strong, stringy streamers from reusable interceptors that foul propellers causing loss of propulsion. Additionally, other non-kinetic techniques were developed and demoed. The focus on defeating raids with multiple threats, rather than single unmanned aerial attackers, required the development of an integrated solution of sensors, autonomy, and mitigation solutions more robust than existing systems. Dynetics was the primary systems integrator.
DARPA is currently working with the military services to transition technology developed in the MFP project into various acquisition programs. (Source: ASD Network)
14 June 21. Modernized Electronic Warfare for the Global F-16 Fleet . As the electromagnetic spectrum becomes more contested and congested worldwide, modern electronic warfare systems are essential equipment for tactical aircraft. Northrop Grumman’s F-16 electronic warfare suite for international operators draws upon the technologies developed for the United States F-16 fleet. Known as the ALQ-131C, this fully modernized, digital system is ready to defend against current and future threats.
Fifth generation EW capabilities for the fourth generation
The reliable, sustainable and affordable pod is designed to give the fourth generation fleet the EW capabilities and performance of fifth generation aircraft. This important capability can play an important role in keeping the F-16 relevant for the duration of the platform’s lifespan.
With the integration of the APG-83 AESA radar, the F-16 gains new radio frequency sensing and targeting capabilities. Ensuring that the electronic warfare system would work effectively with the radar was a top design goal of the engineering team.
“The F-16 EW Suite has proven pulse-to-pulse interoperability with the APG-83 AESA radar. Our goal was to maximize the performance of both of these critical radio frequency systems to provide enhanced survivability and lethality to the platform. Our extensive testing confirms the success of this approach,” said Jim Jensen, Technical Fellow at Northrop Grumman.
Commonality with the U.S. F-16 program of record provides a path to long-term access to upgrades and affordable sustainment, so operators can always keep up with the state of the art.
Leading technology that counters the threat
“Our customers are facing a greater radio frequency threat to their tactical aircraft than ever before. Our ALQ-131C, and the U.S. F-16 electronic warfare suite, are bringing the latest digital RF survivability technologies to overcome this challenge,” said James Conroy, vice president, navigation, targeting and survivability, Northrop Grumman.
The ALQ-131C is designed to detect and identify known, emerging and envisioned future threats in even dense, complex threat environments. The ALQ-131C’s high sensitivity digital receiver, high speed processors and Digital Radio Frequency Memory enable high fidelity digital signal generation. It is designed to defeat threat systems by applying the optimal coherent and/or non-coherent jamming technique. This level of protection enables the freedom of maneuver necessary to carry out the many missions of international operators.
Northrop Grumman’s open systems EW architecture offers the bandwidth needed to detect and defeat the most sophisticated RF threats, including agile air defense systems. Shared across the company’s family of EW systems, which includes capabilities for fighters, airlifters and rotary wing aircraft, this pioneering technology can protect virtually any platform or mission.
As RF threats continue to proliferate, effective electronic warfare systems are urgently needed to keep pilots safe and ensure mission success. Interoperable, affordable and sustainable, Northrop Grumman’s ALQ-131C offers advanced EW capabilities for the global F-16 fleet today.
14 Jun 21. ERA “demonstrates passive mini-UAV detection at more than 100km.” ERA reports the ability of its passive ESM tracker (PET) VERA-NG to detect and track unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) broadcasting continuous wave (CW) signals has been validated in recent trials with Czech military units.
“The CW Trial was held at Czech military ranges in the last week of April,” said the company in a press release. “There were several UAS operating in the Czech Armed Forces used as targets in an actual trial and the results in detecting their signals fully approved the previous testing and justified the expectations. They were flying separately and also in parallel times in order to be distinguished the one from another. All UAS including UAV (drones) were “spotted” at once and tracked for the whole flying period.”
According to the company, PET technology has the tracking capability to detect mini-class UAVs at more than 100 kilometres and micro-class UAVs up to 40 kilometres, where modern 3D active radars provide effective coverage up to 10 kilometres.
For more information https://www.era.aero/en (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
09 June 21. NATO to test multiple directed energy weapon anti-drone solutions in October. NATO experts will gather in October this year at the Salto di Quirra military test range in Sardinia, Italy, to test-fire different kinetic and directed energy weapon (DEW) solutions, including lasers, against individual and swarming drones.
NATO’s multi-national Research Task Group, SAS-140 was established in 2019 for a three year period under the umbrella of the NATO Science and Technology Organization, to accelerate the transition of DEW into the mission areas. The Technical Report with the findings and recommendations of Research Task Group SAS-140 is expected by the end of 2021.
CDR Pieter Blank, Head Innovation at Royal Netherlands Navy and Chair of SAS-140 explained, “From the group’s inputs I strongly believe that DEW capabilities can give truly new options to field commanders to achieve mission success. NATO Nations and Partner Nations can use the results of the study to explore their own requirement space and identify the solutions space relevant to their needs”.
Meanwhile, the French Army reports it has improved its air base anti-drone defence capabilities with the deployment of its ICARE combined radar/anti-drone weapon units at air force bases. “The development of ICARE…was carried out by the technical section of the Army from 2019 to the end of 2020,” said the French Army in a Facebook post. It is part of a wider programme aimed at relacing legacy system and preserving France’s industrial base while supporting the army’s joint tactical battalions (or Groupement tactique interarmes, GTIA), which allow the Army to coordinate the actions and the expertise of each branch of the land forces, under the single command of a central regiment.
For more information
https://www.sto.nato.int/SitePages/newsitem.aspx?ID=3587&IsDlg=1
(Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
09 June 21. DARPA “successfully trials low-cost multi-layer, non-kinetic counter-UAS system.” The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) reports that in recent tests at Eglin Air Force Base, DARPA’s Mobile Force Protection (MFP) programme successfully demonstrated a Counter-Unmanned Air System (C-UAS) multilayer defence architecture to defeat unauthorized drone intrusions over military installations or operations. The requirement that the system field non-kinetic solutions pushed concepts that could be employed in and around civilian areas, says DARPA
“Development of this low-cost reusable drone interceptor system approach began four years ago with the aim of creating an integrated system for thwarting attacks from self-guided small unmanned aircraft,” said a DARPA press release. “The goal is to protect high value convoys moving through potentially populated regions where there is a requirement to avoid using explosive defensive weapons and mitigate collateral damage. The technology demonstrator successfully neutralized tactically-relevant drones using a newly-developed X band radar that automatically senses and identifies unmanned aerial system threats. The radar then pairs targets to specific interceptors through an automated decision engine tied to a command and control system, launching and guiding rotary and fixed wing interceptors with two types of drone countermeasures while on the move and without operator intervention.”
“Because we were focusing on protecting mobile assets, the program emphasized solutions with a small footprint in terms of size, weight, and power,” said MFP program manager Gregory Avicola in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office. “This also allows for more affordable systems and less operators.”
According to a DARPA press release: “The primary drone negation mechanism shoots strong, stringy streamers from reusable interceptors that foul propellers causing loss of propulsion. Additionally, other non-kinetic techniques were developed and demoed. The focus on defeating raids with multiple threats, rather than single unmanned aerial attackers, required the development of an integrated solution of sensors, autonomy, and mitigation solutions more robust than existing systems. Dynetics was the primary systems integrator.”
DARPA is currently working with the military services to transition technology developed in the MFP project into various acquisition programs.
https://www.darpa.mil/news-events/2021-06-07 (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
08 June 21. NUAIR supports trials to show AVSS drone parachute system complies with ASTMI standards. The Northeast UAS Airspace Integration Research Alliance, Inc (NUAIR) recently put the Aerial Vehicle Safety Solutions Inc. (AVSS) drone parachute recovery system through rigorous safety and failure scenarios over multiple days at the New York UAS Test Site in Rome, New York.
According to a NUAIR press release, the tests were successful on the US -made Horsefly, produced by Workhorse, an Ohio-based tech company. The successful tests prove the AVSS parachute recovery system complies with ASTM International parachute standard F3322-18, allowing Workhorse to expedite their Durability and Reliability Testing requirements, and allowing commercial drone pilots utilizing this platform combination to fly over people legally and safely. NUAIR has now conducted five parachute standard validations since the standard was published in 2018.
“Drone safety standards continue to be developed to keep skies safe, much like how safety standards for cars and trucks keep roads safe,” said the press statement. “Before a motor vehicle manufacturer can put their vehicles on the road, they must have their components tested by a third party to confirm, or validate, that the product complies with current standards. The process is the same for drones, with NUAIR acting as the third-party validation service. The AVSS parachute recovery system is a safety product for unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), commonly referred to has drones. In the event of a drone malfunction in the air, the system will automatically cut power to the drone, deploy its parachute, and allow the aircraft to descend slowly from the sky. This safety system significantly decreases the potential of harm to people or property on the ground and reduces the risk of damage to the drone itself.”
“The AVSS drone parachute tests conducted at Oneida County’s UAS Test Site at Griffiss are vital to ensuring safe commercial drone operations,” said Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. “Our test site continues to lead the way in drone development, and these latest standard validations will advance the entire industry to new heights. With our partners at NUAIR, Oneida County is flourishing as a world-renowned hub for UAS innovation.”
NUAIR has now conducted three successful validations for AVSS, with the first being completed in 2020. Because drones come in many shapes and sizes, the parachute validation is tied specifically to the type of drone that was used during testing. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) prohibits most drones from being flown over people. New rules recently published by the FAA have made the process to legally fly over people easier, one of which removes the need to apply for a waiver to fly over people if the drone pilot can show they have robust safety mitigations in place that meet an FAA-approved method of compliance (MOC). The MOC is still being finalized, which includes the parameters of having a validated parachute recovery system.
“It was great working with AVSS again and I’m happy we were able to successfully validate their product to two more platforms,” said Tony Basile, chief operations officer of NUAIR. “Our crew at the New York UAS Test Site has these validation tests down pat, making the whole process effortless and cost effective for our clients.”
“When AVSS needed to complete the ASTM standard with Workhorse, a drone delivery partner, NUAIR was an obvious choice to partner with again,” said Josh Ogden, chief executive officer of AVSS. “Working with the NUAIR team ensures that our customers know we’ve partnered with the premier FAA designated test site and that our parachute recovery system will be properly validated. As we continue integration of our various PRS models into commercial drones and drone delivery platforms, we look forward to continuing this partnership.”
The validation of AVSS’s PRS product on the Horsefly allows Workhorse and its partner United Parcel Service (UPS) to advance the reality of economically viable, routine package delivery via drones. The Horsefly a custom-built, American-made drone designed for safety and efficiency, can fly autonomously, and can undergo the rigors of day-to-day deliveries. Workhorse has developed electric delivery trucks which pair with the Horsefly, providing a take-off and landing pad on the roof with charging capabilities and a control center for the driver to program the drone’s delivery route.
“We’re delighted with our team’s performance,” said John Graber, President of Workhorse Aerospace. “They’ve worked months preparing for the rigors of ASTM qualification, and it speaks well for our team and our product that we passed 45 of 45 test events with no failures. We could not be more proud of our people and their work. And that includes the AVSS and NUAIR teams. They are demanding professionals who perform to very high standards. We look forward to fielding our Unmanned Aerial Systems with ASTM-approved AVSS parachute systems.” (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
14 June 21. DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) announced the release of Immediate Response Kit (IRK), a rapidly deployable C-UAS detection and defeat kit.
IRK consists of an RfPatrol portable (1.2kg/2.6lbs incl battery) detection device and a DroneGun MKIII (2.1kg/4.7lbs incl. battery) defeat device, in a single rugged carry case.
The kit is available now to approved purchasers. Both RfPatrol and DroneGun MKIII are mature products, currently fielded by a number of military and Government agency customers globally.
Oleg Vornik, DroneShield CEO, commented “IRK was released in response to multiple customer requests for a single portable response kit, incorporating two of our market leading products in their segments, RfPatrol and DroneGun MKIII.“
Additional information about the Immediate Response Kit (IRK) can be found here:
www.droneshield.com/irk
14 June 21. ERA “demonstrates passive mini-UAV detection at more than 100km.” ERA reports the ability of its passive ESM tracker (PET) VERA-NG to detect and track unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) broadcasting continuous wave (CW) signals has been validated in recent trials with Czech military units.
“The CW Trial was held at Czech military ranges in the last week of April,” said the company in a press release. “There were several UAS operating in the Czech Armed Forces used as targets in an actual trial and the results in detecting their signals fully approved the previous testing and justified the expectations. They were flying separately and also in parallel times in order to be distinguished the one from another. All UAS including UAV (drones) were “spotted” at once and tracked for the whole flying period.”
According to the company, PET technology has the tracking capability to detect mini-class UAVs at more than 100 kilometres and micro-class UAVs up to 40 kilometres, where modern 3D active radars provide effective coverage up to 10 kilometres.
For more information
https://www.era.aero/en (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
14 June 21. US Army releases video animation of high-powered microwave technology designed to counter drone swarms. The US Air Force has released a video animation of the prototype directed energy weapon used to disable the electronics in drones. The Tactical High Power Operational Responder, or THOR system, developed at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base has been specifically engineered to counter multiple targets – such as a drone swarm. The system, which shoots high-powered microwaves at unmanned aircraft to disrupt their electronics, was first demonstrated to media in June 2019 at Kirtland. The US Army has invested USD15m in developing the prototype in partnership with BAE Systems and Leidos. The system is transportable in a C-130 aircraft.
Amber Anderson, the project manager, said the video was created as a way to better explain the technology to the public. She said one of the reasons for the campaign is to inform the public about what the country is doing to prepare as drones become more commonplace in the skies.
For more information visit:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjHGxKb6W1c&t=7s (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
14 June 21. General Dynamics teams with Dedrone to offer counter drone technology to US government customers. General Dynamics Mission Systems has teamed with counter drone company Dedrone to provide drone detection and drone neutralising capability to US government customers. The partners aim to detect and defeat the growing unmanned aerial system threat, says the press release.e
General Dynamics Mission Systems provides mission-critical products and systems and will act as a value-added reseller of Dedrone counter-UAS products including rapid-deployment expeditionary kit; DroneTracker software; Dedrone’s RF sensors; and DroneDefender non-kinetic UAS countermeasure.
(Image: General Dynamics, US Marine Corps/Gunnery Sgt. Melissa Marnell)
For more information visit:
www.dedrone.com
www.gdmissionsystems.com (Source: www.unmannedairspace.info)
11 June 21. Edgybees Selected to Participate in Inaugural AWS Space Accelerator for Startups. Edgybees will use AWS Cloud solutions to transform aerial images and video into a mission-critical decision support tool with real-time high-precision geo-tagging.
Edgybees today announced it has been selected to participate in the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Space Accelerator, a business support program for startups seeking to use AWS to help solve the biggest challenges in the space industry. This opportunity will support Edgybees’ efforts to deliver real-time, high-precision geo-tagging for aerial images and video that provide timely and accurate situational awareness for mission-critical operations.
New for 2021, the four-week AWS Space Accelerator curriculum provides hands-on AWS Cloud and technical training, mentorship, coaching, and business support in collaboration with Seraphim, one of the world’s leading investment groups focused exclusively on the space industry, who will provide business development and investment guidance.
The explosion of aerial assets such as drones, helicopters, and airplanes has expanded the availability of imagery and video during critical missions such as natural disasters, emergency incidents, and precision military operations. Yet despite massive investments in excess of a trillion dollars a year, the vast majority of aerial imagery and video footage go unused due to lack of accurate geographical context.
Since telemetry data from the aerial assets themselves is notoriously inaccurate, erroneous information is often displayed to pilots and operators who are making crucial decisions under pressure with life or death consequences. Lacking accurate geolocation information, operators may struggle to pinpoint the location of a trapped family in a hurricane, a hiker lost in a remote area, or a residential building in a forest fire area.
Edgybees helps solve this problem by analyzing incoming visual information and matching it with real-time GIS telemetry, with accuracy as high as 1 meter and as little as 120 milliseconds latency. Unlike other solutions that require expensive proprietary GIS data, the Edgybees solution is utilizing commercial-grade satellite-generated GIS data, making the solution highly affordable and generating additional revenue streams for satellite operators. Optimized for the cloud, the Edgybees software and APIs have been successfully deployed on the AWS cloud platform with major defense integrators and customers across the globe.
“We are extremely excited to be selected for the AWS Space Accelerator and collaborate with AWS to deliver advanced decision-support solutions at the scale and speed that are a must for lifesaving and mission-critical operations,” said Adam Kaplan, Edgybees’ co-founder and CEO. “Running on AWS streamlines the integration of our software into existing systems used by customers, delivering immediate improvement of their geo-registration accuracy and reliability without modifying their workflows and operating procedures.”
As one of 10 companies chosen for this opportunity, Edgybees will receive up to $100,000 in AWS Activate credit, AWS Cloud training and support, mentorship, and additional business development resources including opportunities to speak with space-savvy venture investors.
“AWS looks forward to collaborating with our finalists to advance their inspiring vision for transforming how we understand, operate in, and benefit from space,” said Clint Crosier, director of the Aerospace and Satellite business at AWS. “Congratulations to our finalists, who were selected from hundreds of impressive startups from across the global space industry. The cloud is uniquely suited to spur the success of space companies in so many ways, and we are excited to help these companies achieve their biggest goals.”
Proposals were judged on several factors including the innovative and unique nature of the project, the overall value the solution will bring to the space industry, the creative application of AWS to solve problems, and the team’s ability to deliver on its specific mission.
For more information on the AWS Space Accelerator, visit https://seraphim.vc/aws/accelerator/.
About Edgybees
Founded in 2017, Edgybees brings clarity, accuracy, and speed to mission-critical and lifesaving operations that rely on streamed aerial video for situational awareness. Edgybees’ solution combines advanced computer vision and machine learning technologies to accurately match aerial video to satellite reference imagery in real-time. This unique approach enables rapid decision-making by visually augmenting roads, key landmarks, and other mission-critical data on top of live video feeds – via our own platform or by integrating with third-party virtual augmentation solutions. With high-precision geo-tagging and near-zero latency, Edgybees makes complex operational environments instantly clear – enabling defense, public safety, and critical infrastructure teams to accomplish lifesaving and high-urgency missions quickly and safely. For more information, please visit www.edgybees.com. (Source: PR Newswire)
12 June 21. TMD introduces NEW solid state, high power MPM for EW and radar. TMD Technologies Limited, independent, world class, West London based manufacturer in the professional microwave and RF field, has announced the addition of a new solid state power amplifier (SSPA) to its range of innovative products for defence EW and radar applications.
Compact and lightweight, the new broadband PTS10147 operates over the 2-6 GHz frequency range with a high power of 100 W (pulsed or CW) and a linear gain of around 60 dB.
Employs state-of-the-art GaN technology.
The excellent power performance and very compact and lightweight construction of the PTS10147 has been achieved by employing gallium nitrate (GaN) high power transistors in the output and driver stages. Furthermore, this design provides the benefit of a power-to-volume ratio that is probably the highest on the market for such a product.
Well suited to an EW role
Designed with demanding electronic warfare (EW) applications in mind, the PTS10147 is particularly effective in electronic attack (jamming) roles – enabling defence customers to experience the full benefit of wideband, solid state power amplifier technology.
Moreover, its small size and weight – combined with high power – means that it is ideal in radar or EW installations used in UAVs, drones, or man-portable systems.
Flexibility of design – with the customer in mind
The PTS10147 is flexible in layout and architecture, and both electrical and mechanical interfaces can be tailored to meet individual customer specification requirements.
The amplifier is normally supplied without a heat sink or any thermal management assembly. However, TMD can supply tailored heat sinks customised to suit specific requirements.
Small size, low weight, wide operating temperature.
Weight of the PTS10147 is just 0.75 kg nominal, with a small size of 137 x 120 x 24mm (excluding connectors).
The wide operating temperature is from -40 degrees C to +60 degrees C. Prime power is 28V d.c.
10 Jun 021. SNC to deliver BLOS to USMC Harvest HAWK gunships. Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has been contracted to upgrade the US Marine Corps’ (USMC) Harvest Hercules Airborne Weapons Kit (HAWK) mission package with a beyond-line-of-sight (BLOS) capability.
The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) said on 9 June that it had awarded SNC a single-source indefinite-delivery indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract valued at USD608,534 for a test upgrade to a USMC Lockheed Martin KC-130J tanker-transport aircraft. The award covers the design, manufacture, test, integration, and installation of a new Harvest HAWK Plus (HH+) BLOS standard.
“This IDIQ contract modification will be incorporated into the last ordering period in fiscal year (FY) 2021, [and] will provide for the procurement of supplies and services to integrate and install HH+ Class 1 Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) for BLOS on the KC-130J aircraft. This Class 1 ECP will provide the Mission Operator Pallet (MOP) with full-motion video and enhanced communications capability,” NAVAIR said in its contract notification posted on the sam.gov US government procurement website. As noted by NAVAIR, SNC beat off competition from two other vendors – GMRE Inc, and RV Global Inc – as it is the manufacturer of the Burma software for the Harvest HAWK that will need to be upgraded.
(Source: Jane’s)
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Blighter Surveillance Systems is a world-leading designer and manufacturer of best-in-class electronic-scanning ground-based radars, surveillance solutions and Counter-UAS systems. Blighter’s solid-state micro-Doppler products are deployed in more than 35 countries across the globe, delivering consistent all-weather security protection and wide area surveillance along borders, coastlines, at military bases and across critical infrastructure such as airports, oil and gas facilities and palaces. Blighter radars are also used to protect manoeuvre force missions when deployed on military land vehicles and trailers, and its world-beating multi-mode radar represents a great leap in threat detection technology and affordability for use in a variety of scenarios.
The Blighter range of radar products are used for detecting a variety of threats, from individuals on foot to land vehicles, boats, drones and low-flying aircraft at ranges of up to 32 km. Blighter Surveillance Systems employs 40 people and is located near Cambridge, UK, where it designs, produces and markets its range of unique patented solid-state radars. Blighter prides itself on being an engineer-led business committed to providing cost-effective and flexible solutions across the defence, critical infrastructure and national security markets.
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