DroneShield and AIM Defence Advance Directed Energy Counter-UAS Technology for Drone Defense

DroneShield has expanded its open counter-drone architecture through a collaboration with Australian directed energy company AIM Defence. The partnership will integrate AIM Defence’s Fractl high-power laser effector with DroneShield’s ecosystem, adding directed energy counter UAS technology alongside existing RF sensing, electronic warfare and command-and-control capabilities.

The collaboration will make DroneShield’s DroneSentry operational platform interoperable with the Fractl system, allowing multiple sensing and defeat technologies to be coordinated within a common operating environment.

Directed Energy Counter UAS Technology Joins DroneShield Architecture

DroneShield said its open architecture is designed to allow customers to combine different sensors and effectors as unmanned threats and mission requirements change.

The addition of Fractl expands the company’s counter-drone ecosystem beyond its existing capabilities in:

• RF sensing
• Electronic warfare
• AI-enabled software
• Sensor fusion
• Command-and-control

AIM Defence’s high-power laser will provide an additional defeat option within the same architecture.

According to the companies, the approach is designed to allow defense organizations to add complementary capabilities without replacing existing infrastructure.

DroneSentry to Integrate Fractl High-Power Laser

Under the collaboration, DroneShield’s DroneSentry operational platform will become interoperable with AIM Defence’s Fractl high-power laser.

The integration is intended to allow operators to coordinate:

• RF sensing
• AI-enabled software
• Sensor fusion
• Command-and-control
• Directed energy

These capabilities will be accessible through a common operating environment.

“Customers are no longer asking which specific sensor or effector is best,” said Angus Harris, Chief Technology Officer of DroneShield. “They’re asking how to combine the best technologies into a single operational capability that can adapt as threats evolve.”

“Expanding our ecosystem with AIM Defence’s high-power laser gives customers another defeat option within that same open architecture. It is great to be working with AIM Defence which, like DroneShield, is a shining example of Australia’s defence tech landscape.”

Fractl Provides Additional Drone Defeat Option

DroneShield said its technologies are designed to address many RF-controlled drone threats, while Fractl provides an additional engagement method for scenarios where another defeat mechanism may be required.

AIM Defence develops deployable directed energy systems, including its AI-enabled Fractl high-power laser.

According to the announcement, the system is designed to interoperate with external sensors and command-and-control platforms for precision engagement within layered defense architectures.

AIM Defence said Fractl is one of a small number of counter-drone laser systems to have been operationally deployed and is currently being exported to multiple countries.

Collaboration Targets Layered Counter-Drone Defense

The companies said increasing scale, autonomy and complexity among unmanned threats are driving requirements for counter-drone architectures that combine multiple sensing and defeat technologies.

“In Australia and elsewhere, the adoption of directed energy-based counter-drone solutions is moving fast,” said Jenelle Frewen, Director of Strategic Initiatives at AIM Defence.

“This collaboration with DroneShield provides a framework for more customer demonstrations, interoperability work, and future deployment opportunities where directed energy can play a major role. With the inclusion of Fractl into DroneShield’s open architecture, allied defence and security organisations will have a proven drone hard-kill option to add to their existing layered counter drone and air defence systems.”

Initial Work to Focus on Military and Government Users

Initial activities under the collaboration will focus on selected military and government end-users.

DroneShield and AIM Defence plan to explore opportunities involving demonstrations, interoperability and potential future deployments in mission-critical counter-drone environments.

The directed energy counter UAS collaboration expands DroneShield’s open architecture by adding AIM Defence’s Fractl high-power laser as another defeat option alongside RF sensing, electronic warfare, sensor fusion and command-and-control technologies.

Source: Press release from DroneShield and AIM Defence