UDS Counter-drone System Achieves TRL-9 Status

The AUDS counter-UAS defence system – field proven to detect, track and defeat malicious and errant unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) or drones – is the first fully integrated system worldwide to achieve TRL-9 status. This follows the successful mission deployment of the AUDS system with United States Forces.

TRL-9 is the very highest technology readiness level or maturity that a technology system can attain. According to the United States Department of Defence (DoD) and NASA definitions, TRL-9 signifies that a technology system or product is in its final form and that the actual system is proven through successful mission operations.

Mark Radford, speaking for the AUDS team, said: “Achieving TRL-9 status is an important milestone for AUDS in the embryonic counter-drone market. The sale and deployment of multiple AUDS systems to the U.S. military to protect critical assets and personnel makes AUDS, we believe, the only TRL-9 rated fully integrated strategic counter-UAS system on the market.”

Over the last 18 months, the AUDS system has been heavily evaluated and tested by military and government organisations. Through this process, AUDS consistently exceeded the mission requirements, simultaneously providing ground and air surveillance against possible threats.

The AUDS system – developed by Blighter Surveillance Systems, Chess Dynamics and Enterprise Control Systems – can detect a drone six miles (10km) away using electronic scanning radar, track it using precision infrared and daylight cameras and advanced video tracking software before disrupting the flight using a non-kinetic inhibitor to block the radio signals that control it.

This detect, track, defeat process is very quick and typically takes 8-15 secs. Using AUDS, the operator can effectively take control of a drone and force a safe landing. The AUDS system works in all weather, day or night and the disruption is flexible, proportional and operator controlled.

AUDS is positioned at the strategic end of the UAS countermeasures market for use by government agencies, the police and military to protect high value critical national infrastructure or strategically important sites/events. These include nuclear power stations, borders, political, sporting or VIP events, airports and airbases.

AUDS is also currently being evaluated by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for use at major U.S. airports as part of its Pathfinder Programme. The FAA has signed a Co-operative Research and Development Agreement (CRDA) with Liteye Systems, the AUDS team’s manufacturing and integration partner in North America, to test AUDS at US airports selected by the FAA.

To further consolidate its market leading position, the AUDS team has developed a range of new platforms – fixed, semi-permanent and temporary – to better meet the needs of customers in different markets. These include a platform for the deployment of AUDS to the roof of a building; a field mast system for the protection of semi-permanent sites such as forward operating bases (FOB), air bases or army camps; and a system for rapid deployment purposes.

Source: Blighter Surveillance Systems Ltd.