Continuing with the SOF requirements for more UAVs, there is also a need to detect and target a hostile sUAV. One approach is based on a directed energy system like the one developed by Boeing. The directed energy system focus a high energy laser on the UAV or sUAV and in about 15 seconds creating structural damage to incapacitate its target. Boeing’s Compact Laser Weapon System shot down a Class 1 UAV with a 10-second laser shot during the Pentagon’s Black Dart anti-drone exercise in 2015. Demand for directed energy weapons is not limited to the SOF community but they are vitally import in ensuring mission success.
A non-kinetic approach to drone defense is Battelle’s DroneDefender portable anti-UAV beam weapon. Battelle designed and r.f. solution on an M4 format. The system targets the UAV with an r.f. beam that interferes with the UAV control link. Most of the commercial UAVs operate in the 2.4 Ghz. or 5 Ghz. spectrum. Depending on its programming, once the UAV looses its control link, it will return home or land. Some of the issues with this approach revolve around cracked drone software. It is possible to develop code that will allow the drone to detonate a payload rather than go home or land. The drone could also be programmed to ride the interfering r.f. beam to its source. This scenario is hypothetical and requires some level of technical sophistication but certainly possible. In the meantime, Battelle’s DroneDefender is providing the operator with a compact and highly portable technology to counter the increasing threat from commercial UAVs.
Drone detection is equally important and to address that need SpotterRF developed the A2000 Counter Drone Radar.
SpotterRF Compact Surveillance Radars have traditionally been used for protection against ground targets. However, compact radar technology works especially well for detection of aerial vehicles – such as drones. The ever increasing threat of drones has created the need for compact surveillance radar able to detect small drones at distances of 1 kilometer. The A2000 was specifically developed to detect a DJI size drone at ranges of close to 1 km. Small enough to be mounted anywhere the A2000 is an integral part of a complete drone detection, identification and defeat solution such as the UAVX system developed by SpotterRF and Black Sage Technologies. The A2000 can be tripod mounted an easily deployed to protect an area of operation, then quickly broken down and packed out of the AO.
FOG HORN 