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Safe Integration of Drones into Airspace is Getting Closer

Thursday, August 3rd, 2023

HENSOLDT commissioned with a demonstrator study for Detect-and-Avoid Radar

Taufkirchen/Germany, 1 August 2023 – Sensor solutions provider HENSOLDT is taking the development of its collision warning system for civil and military drones to a new level. The demonstrator study for a “detect-and-avoid radar” – commissioned by the Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment, Information Technology and In-Service Support (BAAINBw) – enables a further step towards the safe integration of drones into controlled airspace.

The German customer has drawn up requirements for an investigation into the implementation of a gradual and full-scale airspace integration of the EURODRONE. For this, a DAA system is foreseeably necessary, which is to be advanced in a gradual series development.

In the run-up to this future development of a DAA system, HENSOLDT – as a long-standing partner of the German Armed Forces in the field of radar technology – has carried out risk-minimising national and European studies regarding the conception and design of a special radar sensor system for such a DAA system. The flight test campaigns carried out and the results obtained in the course of these studies in preparation for development are already proving the functional capability.

The “detect-and-avoid radar” is one of the decisive sensors in a complex DAA system on board unmanned aerial vehicles. It supports the calculation of evasive manoeuvres for collision avoidance by detecting, classifying and forming complete tracks of approaching objects in the airspace. Due to the multifunctional design of this radar, the requirements for integrating a weather radar function will also be taken into account and a possible perspective regarding the support of a separate landing aid will be opened up.

The currently commissioned study for the DAA radar includes the investigation of the technical feasibility of such a radar for the EURODRONE project, the verification with a near-series demonstrator as well as the risk minimisation for a future series development. Since the novel “detect-and-avoid radar” is a flight- and mission-critical component, the study deals in particular with the implementation of the safety requirements and the approval strategy at national and international aviation safety authorities (EASA, LBA) as well as the military organisations (LufABw).

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DroneShield to Host an Inaugural C-UAS Conference at Indo Pacific 2023

Wednesday, August 2nd, 2023

DroneShield is pleased to host its inaugural conference dedicated to unmanned systems and protecting against them on the 8th of November 2023. The conference will be held at the International Convention Centre Sydney, in conjunction with the Indo Pacific International Maritime Exposition 2023 and the AMDA Foundation.

The confirmed high profile speaker and panel list includes:

DroneShield CEO Oleg Vornik, commented, “As drones and counterdrone systems continue to increasingly become mainstay of land, sea and air domains, we are pleased to offer this unique event with some of the best Australian minds in this sector across Defence and industry.”

The event is available to all successful registrants for the Indo Pacific Exposition, subject to capacity.

For registration and further details, please visit: www.indopacificexpo.com.au/program/conference/unmanned-systems-and-protecting-against-them

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USARCENT Tests Phone App That Detects Unmanned Aerial Systems

Friday, July 28th, 2023

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. — U.S. Army Central’s Task Force 39, the team dedicated to developing innovative ideas throughout USARCENT, facilitated a test of CARPE Dronvm at McEntire Joint National Guard Base and Poinsett Range on July 18, 2023.

CARPE Dronvm is a DoD funded application developed by MITRE Corporation that uses crowd-sourced information to detect unmanned aerial systems, or UAS. This test used a version of the application on cell phones to detect a UAS. Maj. Travis Valley, the Task Force 39 operations officer, said the potential for crowd-sourced UAS detection increases force protection capabilities.

“The CARPE Dronvm experiment, or proof of principle, was a huge success for ARCENT.” said Valley. “This was the largest experiment ARCENT has conducted to date. We expanded the experiment footprint, covering 50 kilometers, with multiple individuals in the area using the CARPE Dronvm app. This was all to prove the CARPE Dronvm app works. It did, in fact it exceeded my expectations on the simplicity of use and the program’s drone detection ability. This has the potential as a force protection multiplier, adding another tool to help protect Soldiers in a deployed environment.”

During the test, Soldiers used government provided cellular devices to test the functionality and capability of the application by capturing images of a UAS. The UAS used in the test flew from McEntire JNGB to Poinsett Range to provide the maximum amount of testing space available.

CARPE Dronvm is the result of a U.S. Air Forces Central initiative to develop systems to detect UAS. U.S. Army Central is testing the ability to operate this application at the Soldier level.

“Countering the drone threat in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility is essential to keeping our personnel, aircraft and equipment safe,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Steven Norris, AFCENT counter-UAS cell chief. “Our MITRE partners have been helping make CARPE Dronvm a reality since 2019. Every single warfighter can help sense and warn, creating a comprehensive layered defense that will tie into our existing command and control architecture and increase awareness of threats in the region.”

In recent years, the threat posed by UAS increased as malign regional actors continue to use and experiment with this relatively cheap weapons system. Due to its low cost to entry, it is becoming the weapon of choice for potential adversaries resulting in rapid technology proliferation and increased employment. Lt. Gen. Patrick Frank, the USARCENT commanding general said his command is focused on developing technologies to counter this threat.

“The UAS threat is a shared security challenge for the U.S. and our regional partners,” said Frank. “To combat this threat, CENTCOM and USARCENT will test and field counter-UAS systems. The advanced measures we intend to pursue regarding innovation and experimentation will provide critical, real-time data to inform Army and defense decisions on counter-UAS technologies.”

United States Army Central is the U.S. Army service component command for United States Central Command and is responsible to the Secretary of the Army for the support and administration of more than 12,000 Soldiers, including those assigned to joint task forces and embassies, across the 21 countries in the CENTCOM area of responsibility.

Story by CPT Richard Moore

Photos by SFC Michael Behlin, SSG Leo Jenkins, and SGT Amber Cobena

Posted in Army, Digitization, Guest Post, Tac Apps, UAS | Comments Off on USARCENT Tests Phone App That Detects Unmanned Aerial Systems

USMC Completes 20,000 Flight Hours with MUX MALE MQ-9A

Wednesday, July 26th, 2023

SAN DIEGO – 24 July 2023 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) congratulates the U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) on achieving a significant milestone of surpassing 20,000 flight hours with their Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Unmanned Expeditionary (MUX) Medium-Altitude, High-Endurance (MALE) MQ-9A Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).

To date, GA-ASI has delivered eight MQ-9A UAS to the USMC. Two of these MQ-9A aircraft are actively engaged in operational missions, playing a vital role in supporting mission-critical Marine Corps objectives. The USMC awaits delivery of 12 additional aircraft, which will fulfill their goal of three squadrons by 2025.

“This strategic acquisition of MQ-9As underscores the USMC’s commitment to strengthening their aerial surveillance capabilities and demonstrates their confidence in GA-ASI’s expertise in delivering top-tier UAS,” said GA-ASI President David R. Alexander.

Renowned for its fault-tolerant flight control system and triple-redundant avionics system architecture, the MQ-9A UAS embodies the industry’s highest standards of reliability and performance, surpassing those of many manned aircraft.

The USMC fleet will ultimately be entirely composed of the MQ-9A Extended Range (ER) configuration, enhanced with wing-borne fuel pods and reinforced landing gear. This model has been specifically designed to extend its endurance to more than 30 hours, enabling persistent long-endurance surveillance capabilities. Equipped with Full-Motion Video and both a Synthetic Aperture Radar and a Moving Target Indicator/Maritime Mode Radar, this advanced system provides the USMC with a comprehensive real-time situational awareness picture.

The USMC’s 20,000 flight hours with MQ-9A represent an impressive accomplishment in the field of unmanned aviation. GA-ASI is honored to have played a role in this achievement and looks forward to continuing its collaboration with the USMC to further advance the capabilities of unmanned systems and support their growing UAS squadrons.

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USAF Flies with Angry Kitten Jamming Pod

Tuesday, July 25th, 2023

SAN DIEGO – 20 July 2023 – The U.S. Air Force flew a remotely piloted aircraft equipped with an Angry Kitten® ALQ-167 Electronic Warfare Countermeasure Pod for the first time on April 27, 2023. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. integrated the pod onto the aircraft.

The Angry Kitten EW Pod is supplied to the U.S. Air Force by the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) and has flown on other Department of Defense systems, including F-16s. GA-ASI integrated the EW pod in less than nine months at no cost to the U.S. Air Force by using a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement.

“It was great to see the Angry Kitten Pod on an Air Force platform for the first time,” said GA-ASI Vice President of DoD Strategic Development Patrick Shortsleeve. “Flying this EW capability on an MQ-9A demonstrates its possible use on future aircraft.”

The Air Force plans to continue flying with Angry Kitten Pods over the next 12 to 24 months to develop the best Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) to leverage EW capabilities in support of the Joint Force and partner nations.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, EW, Guest Post, UAS | 2 Comments »

GA-ASI’s Unmanned Aircraft Cross 8 Million Flight Hours

Monday, July 17th, 2023

>New MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian® Models Add More Than 4,000 Hours

SAN DIEGO – 14 July 2023 – General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA?ASI) today announced that its family of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), which includes the Predator®, Reaper, Gray Eagle, Avenger®, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian®/SeaGuardian® lines, has surpassed eight million flight hours. GA-ASI aircraft have completed 566,000 total missions in nearly 40 countries around the world.

Adding to the total are 13 MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian UAS that have flown more than 4,000 flight hours, including the new Protector RG Mk1 being delivered to the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force. The first three Protectors are currently undergoing Integrated Test, Evaluation, and Acceptance trials. In addition, MQ-9Bs are being operated by the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF), as well as supporting various U.S. Navy exercises.

“GA-ASI continues to be a leader in developing reliable, cost-efficient, and sustainable unmanned aircraft systems that perform advanced operations for our customers around the world,” said GA-ASI CEO Linden P. Blue. “Eight million flight hours is another achievement on our list of historic firsts, which demonstrates our relentless commitment to quality.”

The exact aircraft and customer that achieved the milestone is unknown, as it’s estimated that more than 50 Predator-class Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) RPA are airborne worldwide every moment of every day.

GA-ASI aircraft average 40,000 hours per month, supporting programs with the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, NASA, the Italian Air Force, the UK Royal Air Force, the French Air Force, the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, the Spanish Air Force, the Royal Netherlands Air Force, the Indian Navy, the Polish Air Force, JCG, JMSDF, and others, with more customers coming online soon. Missions include helping protect ground units on the battlefield, supporting first responders in the wake of natural disasters, and providing critical ISR around the world. These aircraft systems continue to maintain some of the highest mission-capable rates in the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army aircraft inventories.

GA-ASI has produced more than 1,000 aircraft and nearly 500 Ground Control Stations (GCS) in more than three decades of business. In addition to UAS and GCS, GA-ASI produces Processing, Exploitation, and Dissemination (PED) systems, as well as sensor payloads that deliver radar and video imagery, detect moving targets on the ground and over water, and provide Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) on signals of interest. GA-ASI has also developed a Detect and Avoid (DAA) system to facilitate the safe integration of unmanned aircraft systems into civil airspace in addition to combat environments.

The Predator-series family includes Predator A and Predator XP, Predator B/MQ-9A Reaper, Predator B Extended Range (ER), Guardian, Gray Eagle, Gray Eagle ER, Predator C Avenger/ER, and MQ-9B SkyGuardian/SeaGuardian.

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DroneShield Assigned NATO Stock Numbers

Friday, July 14th, 2023

• DroneShield assigned with NATO Stock Numbers (NSNs) for RfPatrol Mk2, DroneGun Mk3, DroneGun Mk4, and DroneSentry-X.

• This follows up on the earlier assignment of NSN for DroneGun Tactical.

• NATO militaries, which are the largest existing customer segment for DroneShield, now able to purchase these additionally listed products “off the shelf”.

DroneShield Ltd (ASX:DRO) (“DroneShield” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that several of its products have been assigned a NATO Stock Number (NSN) as follows:

This follows up on the earlier NSN assignment for DroneGun Tactical (5865661650137) in February 2019, which significantly contributed, and continues to contribute, towards that product becoming one of DroneShield’s best-selling items.

An NSN is a 13-digit numeric code, identifying all the “standardised material items of supply” as they have been recognised by all NATO countries including United States Department of Defense, and allows for any of the 31 NATO militaries to purchase the items on a “military catalogue” basis, significantly simplifying the procurement process.

The assignment of an NSN is also relevant to non-NATO customers in that it is considered to signify that the product has achieved a certain level of acceptance by the world’s most discerning military customers, the members of NATO and NATO’s allies.

The Company expects that the receipt of these additional NSNs for will assist its sales efforts in both NATO and non-NATO countries.

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GeoCue Expands European Footprint with New French Distributor, Escadrone

Monday, July 10th, 2023

The new partnership will bring cutting-edge geospatial hardware and software to France.For Release July 10, 2023

Huntsville, AL – GeoCue, a leading provider of advanced geospatial software and hardware solutions, is pleased to announce the addition of Escadrone to its global network of distributors. This strategic partnership continues to extend GeoCue’s expansion into the European market, particularly in France and French-speaking countries where Escadrone will provide advanced-level TrueView 3D Imaging Sensors and LP360 LiDAR Processing Software.

Escadrone, a renowned expert in autonomous robotics integration for professional civilian applications, has been serving its customers since 2014. As a pioneer in the design, sale, and approval of drone technology, along with providing comprehensive training, Escadrone offers personalized autonomous robotics solutions to a growing number of companies. Their wide range of training, drones, equipment, and software covers various professional uses, ensuring their customers have access to cutting-edge technology.

Herbert Nicolas, CEO of Escadrone, expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We appreciate working with companies that put customers at the heart of product development, and creating partnerships with their distributors to ensure the customers receive the highest level of support and professionalism. GeoCue’s commitment to excellence aligns perfectly with our values, and we are excited to bring their industry-leading solutions to our customers.”

With this collaboration, Escadrone will now offer TrueView Lidar products and LP360 software to its customers. The TrueView systems enable advanced photogrammetry and LiDAR data collection, empowering customers to enhance their surveying and mapping capabilities. By integrating these powerful tools into their workflows, Escadrone’s customers gain a technological advantage in the highly competitive field of drone mapping.

Abdel Diani, Director of Global Distribution for GeoCue, commented on the partnership, saying, “We are delighted to welcome Escadrone to our global network of distributors. Their expertise in autonomous robotics and commitment to customer satisfaction make them an ideal partner for GeoCue. Together, we can provide innovative geospatial solutions to customers in France and beyond, helping them optimize their operations and achieve remarkable results.”

GeoCue and Escadrone share a common goal of delivering exceptional products and services while adapting swiftly to market conditions. This partnership not only strengthens GeoCue’s presence in the European market but also reinforces Escadrone’s commitment to providing cutting-edge solutions and unrivaled customer support.

Posted in Industry, International, Sensors, UAS | Comments Off on GeoCue Expands European Footprint with New French Distributor, Escadrone