DroneShield’s DroneSentry-Integrated Swarming Detection and Countermeasure
DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield" or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that it has commenced work on the development of DroneSentry, an integrated drone detection and countermeasure product.
- DroneShield is developing next generation integrated and automated drone detection and countermeasure product.
- Product involves automatic deployment of jamming countermeasures following detection.
- Particularly relevant to “swarming” drone attacks.
Currently, DroneShield sells two key categories of products. The first category is acoustic drone detection systems, including long range dish sensors, with each sensor providing a 30 degree detection cover for up to 1km range. The second is DroneGun, a drone jammer, effective at distances of up to 2km. Currently, the detection and the jammer products are operated independently. The existing DroneShield detection product operates automatically but, once triggered, requires “man in the loop” to operate the jamming.
Once DroneSentry’s development has been completed, DroneSentry will integrate the two existing and effective products into an integrated and automated system. It will consist of a block of several DroneShield’s long range dish sensors (providing 360 degree coverage), coupled with a synchronized jamming system. Once DroneShield’s sensors detect an incoming drone, the jamming system will then automatically engage it. DroneSentry will also carry the optional “man in the loop” feature allowing for manual operation of the jammer at the user’s option.
The system is expected to be particularly relevant to the rising military demand. By way of background, the U.S. Army has been reported as having identified a “critical gap” in its ability to face “swarms” of drones, and other militaries face the same issues. Drone “swarming” refers to large numbers of cheap, commercially available drones attacking a target simultaneously from a number of directions and overwhelming the target’s defences. Because of the low cost of commercially available drones, planners anticipate that both state actors and non-state terrorist actors will be able to utilise drone swarming in the near future. Drone swarming’s targets include forward-operating and more permanent military bases and other critical defence and infrastructure installations. By way of example, on 9 January 2017, the Strategic Capabilities Office of the United States Department of Defense, together with the Naval Air Systems Command, announced a successful demonstration of a large drone swarm. (click to view)
Conversely, The Washington Post has recently reported General Daniel B. Allyn, the U.S. Army’s vice chief of staff, as saying that defeating drone swarm attacks will be essential in the future.(click to view)
Several prime (top tier) U.S. defence contractors are working on anti-swarm systems. For instance, Lockheed Martin has stated that “Lockheed Martin engineers are collaborating with customers and academia to research, develop and implement the technology that will detect and defeat swarms.” (click to view) Unlike DroneShield’s, that technology is understood to emphasise high-cost laser countermeasures rather than the substantially lower cost jamming.
With the addition of DroneGun to its product offering in the recent weeks, the Company became the only global provider of a comprehensive drone security system that includes both world-leading acoustics-based detection and highly effective and easy to use handheld rifle jammer countermeasures. Development of DroneSentry will take the Company a substantial step forward and, once completed, will enable it to compete at the higher end of the market.
The Company has identified several other gaps in the drone security market and is developing its product roll-out plan, beyond its existing suite of products. The Company will announce commencement of development of additional products (if any) and launches of additional products (if any), as they occur.
Annexed to this announcement is the Company’s presentation (see the link below) setting out additional details on DroneSentry.
To view tables and figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/RZC4R66H
