Echodyne, uAvionix and Kongsberg Geospatial Partner to provide 3D-radar counter-UAS system.

Kongsberg Geospatial, Echodyne Corp, and uAvionix announced on 26 April that they have integrated their technologies to create a new counter-drone system called “Argus CUAS”, the world’s most affordable 3D Radar Counter-UAS System.

The Argus CUAS logo. Argus CUAS is a new 3D radar counter-UAS system created to be affordable for police forces and emergency services organizations.

The Argus CUAS System integrates the Echodyne MESA radar with uAvionix cooperative aircraft tracking capabilities for display in the Kongsberg Geospatial IRIS Situational Awareness Application.

Kongsberg Geospatial is a geospatial software company based in Ottawa, Canada, while Echodyne Corp is a radar technology company based in Bellevue, WA; uAvionix is a technology company based in Bigfork, MT that specializes in creating cooperative aircraft transponders and surveillance systems for drones.

The three companies have combined their technologies to create a portable tracking system capable of detecting any drones that enter a monitored airspace. The Argus CUAS (counter-UAS) system provides 3-dimensional, all weather coverage and accurate positioning of airborne targets. The system can detect even the smallest UAVs at long ranges and the system is intended for organizations that need to monitor the position of any drones flying in their local airspace.

Likely users would include airports, prisons, police forces protecting public events, and emergency rescue organizations who need to keep the airspace clear surrounding disaster scenes and wildfires. The ARGUS CUAS system been designed for quick deployment, and can be set up at virtually any location within minutes. “Security has gone from a 2D problem to a 3D problem,” said Echodyne CEO Eben Frankenberg. “Argus CUAS answers a market need for an affordable and deployable system that can provide long-range all-weather detection.”

Existing counter-UAS systems tend to be dependent on expensive and bulky radar systems. The new system that the three companies have developed leverages Echodyne’s small but powerful MESA radar, and cooperative aircraft tracking capabilities provided by uAvionix to provide high visibility of the airspace in a very lightweight, portable system.

The Argus CUAS system also improves on the complicated mixture of sensor feeds that are typical of counter-UAS systems – offering a simple, intuitive user interface developed by Kongsberg Geospatial that allows users to quickly visualize, understand, and track all targets present in the 3-dimensional airspace around the location where the system is deployed. “Accurately positioning cooperative and non-cooperative airborne targets requires high performance technology” said Christian Ramsey, President of uAvionix “We are very pleased by the field trial results of this system”.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with world-class partners like Echodyne and uAvionix” said Ranald McGillis, President of Kongsberg Geospatial. “Our customers are seeking an affordable CUAS system and Argus CUAS provides a best-in-class solution to this growing demand. Integrating our three company’s capabilities creates a tremendous capability at an affordable price.”