D-Fend Solutions, and Syzygy Integration, have integrated D-Fend’s EnforceAir C-UAS with Syzygy’s SNAP (Sensor Network Access Point). The integration was launched on Thursday 18 August. The integration will strengthen support for the Team Awareness Kit / Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) across the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Department of Defense (DOD), Department of Justice (DOJ) and first responders in contending with rogue drone activity at sensitive and critical sites and events.
TAK is a cost-effective, off-the-shelf government sponsored solution developed by the Department of Defense that enables tactical data generation, visualization, and sharing to facilitate communications across multiple users and achieve shared tactical situational awareness.
This integration also enables EnforceAir to immediately work with camera systems, radars, and other sensor technologies for fusion and filtering via all the capabilities in SNAP. SNAP also enables all the sensor data to work across enterprise networks via secure connections, mobile ad-hoc networking (MANET), goTenna and Iridium simultaneously.
Geospatial World had an exclusive discussion with D-Fend CMO, Jeffrey Starr to gain his insights on this integration and related matters.
Rogue drone operators are rapidly becoming a national nuisance, invading sensitive airspace and private property. How would the integration of D-Fend’s EnforceAir C-UAS with Syzygy’s SNAP (Sensor Network Access Point) actively provide protection from them?
The D-Fend Solutions and Syzygy Integration optimizes C-UAS Communications and Data Management such that D-Fend’s RF Cyber Counter-drone takeover technology combines with Syzygy’s situational awareness sensor engineering capabilities to deliver greater C-UAS interoperability, calibration and control.
This integration strengthens the ability to contend with rogue drone activity at sensitive and critical sites and events by enabling tactical data generation, visualization, and sharing for better communications across multiple users for shared tactical situational awareness. This integration also enables EnforceAir to immediately work with camera systems, radars, and other sensor technologies for fusion and filtering.
The integration of EnforceAir’s cyber takeover counter-drone capabilities leads to greater optimization of cross-functional tactical data flow and communications for various C-UAS scenarios, sectors, and use cases, delivering more robust airspace safety and security in the context of heightened threat levels from hostile and unsafe UAS activity.
What are the greatest challenges posed by such rogue drone misadventures?
Drones bring tangible value and benefits to millions around the world and are reshaping the way modern society functions. Drones are changing the way various fields and industries operate. But as drones continue to proliferate, there is a small portion of bad actors, as well as inexperienced operators, who can cause tremendous damage.
Drones are becoming, faster, harder to detect and more durable. Many can fly long distances and carry heavy payloads, and are quite easy to operate, which poses safety and security risks to every type of environment.
Drones can be used to attack soldiers and law enforcement, target critical facilities, smuggle drugs into a prison or across borders, disrupt major events and pose dangers to planes.
Traditional technologies have a role to play in a layered defense strategy, but they are insufficient in sensitive scenarios. On the detection side, for example, radar alone can generate false positives from birds, optical solutions are ineffective without line of sight, and acoustic solutions are ineffective in noisy environments or with quiet drones.
When it comes to mitigation, jamming-based solutions are temporary and may disrupt communications, and kinetic solutions (physical shooting) are risky in crowded situations and can cause collateral damage.
EnforceAir, D-Fend Solutions’ counter-drone product, overcomes these challenges with RF cyber takeover technology that detects, locates and identifies rogue drones in the airspace, and then neutralizes the threat by allowing authorized operators to take full control over the drone and land it safely in a predefined zone.
Since the system does not rely upon jammers or kinetic technology, EnforceAir avoids collateral damage, interference, disruption or disturbance. Continuity prevails as communications, commerce, transportation and everyday life smoothly proceed.
Would you be using any geospatial technologies to help your outreach?
EnforceAir passively and continuously scans and detects unique communication signals used by commercial drones. Once detected, EnforceAir recognizes, identifies and presents the relevant drone information, including the presentation of accurate geospatial positioning information on the EnforceAir UX, including for example pilot take-off position.
Information on authorized drones is also presented as they continue to function without interruption, while the system continues to track the rogue drone position.
Geospatial information is reflected in EnforceAir’s Capabilities throughout the Rogue Drone Incident Lifecycle, including Detection, Alert, Location, Tracking, Identification and Fending-Off or Taking Control and Landing.
Who would be the direct beneficiaries of this technology integration?
Direct beneficiaries of this integration would include top-tier government agencies in military, law enforcement and homeland security. Users include forward military bases, and borders and ports.
Top sectors for this technology include military, national security, law enforcement, airports, borders, ports and harbors, VIP protection, maritime, and critical infrastructure.
Are there any future plans for more such product integrations to aid this space?
Complementary integration partnerships in the C-UAS field, working towards a robust layered defense approach, is a core component of D-Fend Solutions’ growth plans and we expect more such alliances across multiple technologies and sectors. These integrations will bring stronger layered defense capabilities across sectors and use cases
