At the Airpower24 airshow, the Austrian Armed Forces and AARONIA Austria deployed a collaborative effort, and the AARTOS system, to safeguard against illegal drone activity or hostile drone threats. Held in early September in Zeltweg, Austria, the event featured 206 aircraft from over 20 countries. AARONIA’s AARTOS DDS system, an advanced anti-drone solution that the Austrian military has used since 2018, played a key role in ensuring safety throughout the airshow. The event involved aerobatic teams such as the Flying Bulls and the Austrian Armed Forces’ Eurofighters.
The AARTOS system, a key part of the Austrian Armed Forces’ “Electronic Warfare for Drone Defense” (ELDRO) strategy, was enhanced this year with a fully automatic 28-meter mast system, equipped with a high-performance RF sensor. This allowed the system to monitor the entire frequency spectrum and provide 360° coverage of the airspace.
A key feature of AARTOS is its ability to detect and locate illegal drones and their operators in real time. With its precision, the system can track drone positions, flight paths and operator locations with an accuracy of five meters, allowing military police to swiftly locate unauthorised operators.
What made this year’s deployment of the AARTOS system particularly effective was its modular design, which allowed for seamless integration of radar, cameras and sensors. This improved the system’s ability to cover complex topographical conditions in real time and simplify operational management, a critical factor for a large-scale event like Airpower24.
The robust anti-drone defences not only intercepted several unauthorised drones the night before the event but also prevented any incidents during the show itself. AARONIA’s mobile solution has already proven its reliability at other high-profile events, such as Formula 1 and MotoGP, and has demonstrated its effectiveness in maintaining security and preventing unauthorised drone activity at large events.
Post Image Credit: Airpower24
