Thales presents HOLOGARDE a new counter drones long-range solution.

DSNA, Groupe ADP and Thales present HOLOGARDE a unique long-range solution for protecting sensitive sites from malicious drones. DSNA, Groupe ADP and Thales have decided to pool together their expertise for the development of the HOLOGARDE solution in response to this imminent need to protect sensitive sites, presenting it during the World Air Traffic Management Congress held in Madrid on March 7, 2018.

Live demonstration of drone at UMEX 2018, the International Unmanned Systems exhibition in Abu Dhabi, UAE. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Drone traffic in the vicinity of airports is growing exponentially. The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), identified in its latest report over 1,400 drone incidents in Europe in 2016, compared to 606 incidents between 2011 and 2015. Airports, like other sensitive sites, are locations for which safety and security must be of the utmost importance.

The HOLOGARDE solution is currently in-use at Paris-Charles de Gaulle airport, one of the 10 largest airports in the world, after a successful experimental installation at the International Paris Air Show at Paris-Le Bourget in June 2017, which saw the detection, tracking and identification of 131 test drones at a distance of 5 km during the week-long event.

Beyond the pioneering technology, HOLOGARDE relies on the partnership between these key stakeholders representing industry, air navigation services and airport operations to provide diverse perspective to the solution’s multidimensiona ConOps. The result of this collaborative work is a tested solution which is enhanced and proven by working closely with end users and which will be available for delivery to clients worldwide before the end of 2018.

"The agile and robust development process of HOLOGARDE integrates next-generation sensors into an innovative control system. HOLOGARDE leverages the expertise of air navigation together with our industry and airport partners, to deliver an operational solution capable of protecting against undesired drone intrusions,” explained Maurice Georges, Director DSNA.

"The development of drones for complex use is an opportunity, as shown by their daily use at Groupe ADP within the airports we manage (inspection of runways, aircraft bridges, thermographic analysis, monitoring of technical galleries, etc.) Their development, especially in proximity to sensitive areas like runways, nevertheless presents risks that must be controlled. HOLOGARDE positions us at the forefront of global innovation in aerospace, combining the expertise of Groupe ADP and French civil aviation, with the technology of Thales and Innov’ATM start-up,” highlighted Edward Arkwright, Deputy CEO for Groupe ADP.

“We help our customers deal with the intrusion of malicious drones within the complex environment of their infrastructures, enabling quick, effective decisions at every decisive moment. Thales’s takeover of Aveillant last November allows the HOLOGARDE solution to integrate world-leading technology in the field of holographic radar. We are working today to further increase the range of HOLOGARDE both with our radar and systems,” indicated Serge Adrian, Thales Senior Vice President for surface radar activities.