ANRA Technologies, a prominent player in uncrewed vehicle mission management and operations, has collaborated with Echodyne, the radar platform company, to enhance its Single Integrated Operating Picture (SIOP) platform. By incorporating Echodyne’s radar data, ANRA’s SIOP app can now offer its customers a comprehensive visualization tool that can detect, locate, and track both cooperative and non-cooperative aircraft. With the integration of Echodyne’s radar, ANRA’s drone detection sensor portfolio has been expanded, providing SIOP customers with a state-of-the-art situational awareness option that can be used independently or in conjunction with other sensors to create a complete and correlated airspace picture for all types of aircraft.

ANRA Technologies offers an airspace management platform for drones, encompassing mission planning, strategic deconfliction, tracking, monitoring, and other related services. Echodyne is a leading U.S.-based manufacturer and designer of advanced commercial radar solutions that cater to the requirements of advanced air mobility (AAM). This is owing to their cutting-edge, high-performance line of metamaterials electronic scanning array (MESA®) radars known for their market-leading low-SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) capabilities. By combining the accuracy of MESA radar data with ANRA’s comprehensive airspace management offerings, the integration reduces barriers for unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operators looking to scale their services. These two companies have previously collaborated on projects such as ANRA’s UAS Traffic Management (UTM) platform, DroneUSS, and the SIAOP project in the UK. With ANRA’s SIOP platform, the potential customer base is expanded further.

Despite remarkable technological strides, several hurdles still impede the widespread adoption of drones. The safe operation of drones alongside other aircraft is a critical factor in determining whether the economic potential of drones, especially in complex operations such as emergency medical deliveries and urban mobility, can be realized. Furthermore, having an enhanced and comprehensive understanding of airspace will aid security agencies, law enforcement bodies, and government officials in distinguishing authorized or compliant airspace users from those that may pose a safety or security threat. This will be of utmost importance as the number of drone operations increases across all airspace classes.

“The integration of Echodyne’s radar’s ability to detect noncooperative traffic small drones into our SIOP solution will provide users and authorities an unparalleled level of airspace situational awareness,” said Amit Ganjoo, CEO of ANRA Technologies. “We pride ourselves on making ANRA SIOP scalable and adaptable to any region worldwide by providing the most accurate information about all airspace participants. Adding Echodyne to our list of integrated surveillance sensors will further this mission as regulations, markets and security concerns continue to evolve.”

 

ANRA’s integration of Echodyne’s radar data tackles the technical obstacle of detecting non-cooperative aircraft that do not transmit their position electronically. By merging this capability with ANRA’s airspace management capabilities and cooperative surveillance (aircraft that are electronically transmitting their location), it results in an all-inclusive airspace situational awareness solution. All air traffic is presented on a single display, enabling authorities and operators to make informed judgments about safety and security in the airspace near their airport, critical infrastructure, or event.

“The advanced air mobility market continues to envision the lower airspace alive with uncrewed aerial vehicles, new generations of all-electric aircraft with vertical takeoff and landing capabilities alongside small delivery drones. Our high-precision radar data integrated into ANRA’s industry-leading airspace management platform is a significant component in building the safety case for increasing air traffic,” said Eben Frankenberg, CEO of Echodyne. “Together, our respective technologies will ensure goods and people move across communities with greater economic efficiency and with the utmost safety.”

 

Post Image- Echodyne’s EchoGuard Radar (Image Credit: Echodyne)

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