HENSOLDT, the new sensor house, has entered into a collaboration in the area of counter-UAV with sensor provider Squarehead Technology AS, Oslo. At Xponential, Dallas/Texas, HENSOLDT signed a collaboration agreement with Squarehead which adds its acoustic sensor “Discovair” to HENSOLDT’s “Xpeller” counter-UAV portfolio.

“Together with our partners, we have created a modular counter-UAV system which is extremely effective. Xpeller demonstrates HENSOLDT’s innovative capabilities, answering our customer’s needs to detect and protect from new threats. Due to its versatility, Xpeller is able to offer maximum protection under a variety of conditions and ranges,” said Thomas Müller, CEO of HENSOLDT.

“We are excited to see how well our sensor is received by the integrator industry, and are very sure HENSOLDT’s integrated system will benefit greatly from the use of it. The collaboration is a major sensor-fusion combined effort, proving that acoustics will remain a cornerstone of the drone detection industry - with our unique sensor array at the heart of it”, said Stig Nyvold, CEO, Squarehead Technology AS.

The modular “Xpeller” product family consists of HENSOLDT’s own products - radars, infrared cameras and long-range jammers - and close-in RF detectors from Danish partner company myDefence. With Discovair, the acoustic signature of drones can be used to detect and track such threats with a high grade of certainty up to a distance of several hundred meters. Thus, Squarehead’s product complements the existing set of Xpeller sensors in the near-field and line-of-sight area.

“Xpeller” offers very high effectiveness by combining sensor data from different sources with latest data fusion, signal analysis and jamming technologies. It uses radars, optical and other sensors to detect and identify the drone and assess its threat potential at ranges from a few hundred meters up to several kilometers depending on the type of drone. Based on an extensive threat library and real-time analysis of control signals a jammer then interrupts the link between drone and pilot and/or its navigation.

The modular “Xpeller” system concept relies on the selection of individual devices from the product family depending on customer requirements and local conditions.

“Xpeller” has been tested extensively at HENSOLDT’s own premises and during customer presentations in Germany, France and Switzerland. An operational system is available on the market with delivery time depending on the required configuration.

HENSOLDT is a globally leading supplier of premium sensors for security and surveillance missions. The company is the world market leader in such areas as missile warning systems and submarine periscopes. Moreover, HENSOLDT is very active in the market for radar systems, optronics and electronic protection systems.

The company comprises the security and defense electronics activities of the Airbus Group, which were spun off from the group in 2017 and have now entered the market as a new sensor house under the brand name of HENSOLDT, together with the former Airbus DS Optronics.

The company is the successor of such renowned companies as Telefunken, Dornier, Siemens Sicherungstechnik and Carl Zeiss Optronics. HENSOLDT employs approximately 4,000 employees, generating annual revenues of about €1 billion.

Squarehead Technology is a privately owned company headquartered in Oslo, Norway. Established in 2004, the company has earned great repute for its production of microphone array systems that detect minute sounds at range for industrial purposes. With a global client list and 30 dedicated employees, Squarehead is continuously working to bring audio detection excellence to new markets.