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Visionary Machines and Thales are working together to trial a new combined counter-uncrewed aircraft detection system to support the evolving nature of drone threats and warfare.
Announced at the Farnborough International Airshow in the United Kingdom, the trial will begin in August and involves Visionary Machines’ spatial sensing technology to detect and classify drone threats, while Thales’ hardware will provide passive protection.
Visionary Machines’ Pandion Sentinel technology will be the specific technology system used in the counter-drone trial.
This optical platform has the ability to track and detect drones operated through radio frequency, as well as autonomous drones. Without emitting any electrical signals, the counter-drone system is difficult to detect and can operate surveillance and detection activities without interception.
“By combining our software with Thales’ wide-area scanning hardware, we have the opportunity to push the boundaries of passive drone detection,” said Visionary Machines’ CEO, Sonny Foster.
“Together, we’re exploring how we can extend surveillance across much larger areas while maintaining a completely passive profile, giving operators earlier and more reliable warning of airborne threats.”
Thales said that the collaboration is expected to represent the “potential to create a best-in-class detection capability”.
Should the trials prove successful, this would represent a strong advancement in the emerging ways that detection and counter-technology is evolving and integrating to address the dynamic threat nature of drones and uncrewed systems.
“For soldiers on the battlefield and personnel protecting critical infrastructure, the combination of wide area scanning with high-confidence, low false alarm detection has the potential to deliver a genuine step forward in situational awareness, addressing a critical protection gap as drone threats continue to evolve in sophistication and scale,” Foster said.
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