By Jim Falasco | Director of Strategic Business at Aerogear Telemetry
In age of sail close combat looked like above. Today as autonomous water-based systems become more common, defending them against drone attacks is becoming an increasingly important concern. The challenge differs from traditional Counter-UAS operations: aerial UAS may be harder to field, while water-based autonomous assets can be harder to defeat once deployed. Counter-UAS (C-UAS) technologies are therefore being adapted for use against autonomous surface vessels (ASVs) and uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), especially as naval forces confront explosive drone boats and swarming maritime threats. Applicable C-UAS technologies include:
- Radar tracking – Detects and tracks small surface craft at long range.
- Electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensors – Visually identifies and classifies vessels.
- RF detection and jamming – Disrupts radio control, satellite links, and GPS navigation.
- GPS spoofing – May redirect autonomous vessels that rely on satellite navigation.
- Electronic warfare (EW) – Disrupts communications and navigation systems.
- Directed energy weapons – Uses high-power lasers to disable sensors or communications equipment, or to ignite exposed components.
- Kinetic interceptors – Uses machine guns, autocannons, missiles, or remote weapon stations to physically destroy hostile vessels.
- Autonomous counter-swarms – Deploys defensive drones or USVs to intercept attacking surface drones.
A key challenge is that fully autonomous vessels may continue their missions even after communications are jammed. In these cases, soft-kill electronic warfare techniques may not be enough, making detection and physical defeat more critical than in many aerial UAS scenarios. This is where telemetry, flight safety, and C-UxS technologies are beginning to converge. Organizations with experience in telemetry, RF systems, data links, and range safety may find opportunities in the growing counter-USV and counter-swarm market, even if their historical focus has been missile test support. As a result, many defense firms are assessing how traditional telemetry and test-range capabilities can support broader autonomous and counter-autonomous systems missions.
#costexchangeratio #cUASbootcamp #flyingisntflightest
By Jim Falasco | Director of Strategic Business, Aerogear Telemetry
The introduction of armed unmanned aircraft fundamentally changed modern warfare.
When ISR platforms and precision strike capabilities converged, drones became more than reconnaissance assets. They became battlefield combatants. The impact was profound and has continued to evolve.
Recent conflicts have accelerated this trend. Low-cost First Person View (FPV) drones, employed individually or in swarms, have demonstrated that increasingly capable effects can be delivered at a fraction of the cost of traditional systems.
As offensive drone capabilities continue to proliferate, the Counter-UAS challenge grows alongside them.
This is not simply a technology problem.
It is also an operational, organizational, and economic problem.
Military organizations, governments, technology developers, operators, investors, and end users all have a role to play. Yet too often these stakeholders operate independently, discussing technologies without creating the partnerships and pathways necessary to field solutions at scale.
The next phase of Counter-UAS development will not be determined solely by who develops the best technology.
It will be determined by who can bring together the right stakeholders, align priorities, test solutions in realistic environments, and accelerate deployment.
The future belongs to organizations that can move beyond discussion and toward execution.
That is why deployment-focused initiatives and collaboration platforms matter.
The challenge is no longer understanding the threat.
The challenge is responding quickly enough to keep pace with it.
By Jean-Marc Sheitoyan, PMP | Program Director, Counter-UAS & AI Accelerator, S4B Defense Corp.
Across defense and dual-use technology sectors, one assumption continues to persist:
If we develop better technology, operational advantage will follow.
In reality, technology is often the least constrained element of the system.
The greater challenge is integration.
Across Counter-UAS, autonomous systems, AI-enabled operations, and other emerging capabilities, organizations frequently encounter the same obstacles:
- Fragmented ownership across stakeholders
- Misalignment between intent, capability, and delivery
- Limited coordination between government, industry, operators, and investors
- Weak transition pathways from prototype to operational deployment
As technologies mature, the challenge shifts from invention to execution.
Success increasingly depends on the ability to align stakeholders, integrate capabilities, and coordinate delivery across complex ecosystems.
This requires more than project management.
It requires an integration layer capable of connecting organizations, clarifying roles, reducing friction, and maintaining focus on operational outcomes.
The organizations that gain advantage will not necessarily be those with access to the most advanced technologies.
They will be those that can integrate, adapt, and execute faster than their competitors.
In an era of rapidly evolving threats, operational capability is created not only by technology, but by the systems and relationships that enable technology to be deployed effectively.
The future of defense innovation belongs to execution.
Feature Article by Ed Hennessy | CEO, Performance Marketing Group (PMG-Results)
Originally published by Unmanned Systems Technology. Reproduced with permission.
In the following opinion piece, Edmond M. Hennessy, CEO at PMG-Results, examines the cross-translation of technologies from crewed to uncrewed platforms, and looks at how the miniaturization curve and the ingenuity of designers and practicing engineers is making this a reality.
Is the great parallel taking shape between crewed and uncrewed vehicles?
It’s clear that drone proliferation is gaining momentum and impacting every target segment (cross-industry) and finding its way to a never-ending range of applications.
Within the defense industry, drones are changing the face of modern, military warfare. One can track the progression and evolution of uncrewed vehicles, sUAS and drones back to DARPA development programs conducted in the late 80’s – early 90’s – which became notable platforms like Global Hawk, Predator, Shadow, and many others.
This movement has taken shape globally, with MODs (by country) investing in the development of drone platforms and capabilities – with the objective of making them combat-ready and in some cases, lethal. The state of drone utilization today is astounding with drones having a play in all-sectors including air, sea, ground and space.
This has been highlighted by the “miniaturization curve” and continuous innovation demonstrated by drone providers – both platform developers and enabling technology sources.
Industry experts indicate that the last major breakthrough and adoption of technology is reflective of the invention and acceptance of the Internet. This may be true, although drone utilization is certainly having its effect on changing and reshaping the world.
Along with the drone movement, we can see advances and breakthroughs in aerodynamic designs, propulsion systems, sensor-based systems, camera technology, communications/network systems, battery technology, etc. – all with an eye on how to design and integrate these technologies into ever-increasing, constrained spaces without compromising overall capability, performance and the stringent demands of the target environment and application.
Insights and analysis on Counter-UAS, AI, autonomous systems, testing, experimentation, defense innovation, and operational capability deployment.