Ondas Holdings Inc., a leading provider of private industrial wireless networks and commercial drone and automated data solutions, announced it has received an initial purchase order from a military customer for several Iron Drone Raider counter-UAS systems. These systems will be deployed and operated as part of military defense activities to protect borders, critical locations, populations, and defense forces from hostile drones.
The initial purchase follows Ondas’ accelerated development of the Iron Drone Raider system to meet specific, military-grade defense and homeland security forces requirements. This development was prioritized to address urgent security needs arising from ongoing global geopolitical conflicts. Additional follow-on orders and deployments of the Raider system are anticipated to address the continuous and urgent demand for protection against hostile drones.
“We are excited to receive our initial Iron Drone Raider order directly from a military customer, positioning Ondas as a prime defense contractor for this high-performance counter-drone system, ” said Eric Brock, Chairman and CEO of Ondas. “The Raider has best-in-class specifications designed to protect critical locations and populations from the rapidly growing threat posed by hostile drones. This Raider platform, powered by proprietary, advanced autonomy software and integrated sensors is a major asset in Ondas’ portfolio. We believe this unique AI-enabled technology can provide a highly reliable, cost-effective solution to hostile drones compared to alternatives, which are typically expensive and often cause significant collateral damage when deployed. We are excited to deliver the Raider to our initial military customer and plan to offer the platform to defense and security customers worldwide.”
The ongoing conflicts in Ukraine, Israel, and other parts of the world underscore the growing threat posed by small, hostile drones, which are increasingly used for aerial surveillance and kamikaze attacks. Countermeasures such as jamming GPS signals can neutralize some drones, and those operating autonomously or without communications require a kinetic option, which is not always feasible and can cause collateral damage.
To address this challenge, the Iron Drone Raider system has been developed to counter all types of hostile drones, regardless of their navigation methods. This system uses a high-speed interceptor drone called Raider, which identifies and “locks on” incoming hostile drones. It navigates using advanced AI-enabled sensor technology, operating along a “Continuum of Autonomy.” Integrating ground-based and onboard thermal and micro-radar sensors with AI-powered command and control software enables the Raider to operate autonomously at high speeds and be responsive in complex, GPS-denied environments.
Once deployed, the Raider drone locates, tracks, and incapacitates the hostile drone using a net. The net can be attached to a parachute to ensure a safe descent, gently lowering the captured drone to the ground. After the mission, the Raider drone returns to its launch site for reuse. The fully automated system includes a docking station that can simultaneously store and launch up to five Raider drones.
The global counter-drone market was valued at approximately $1.6 billion in 2023 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 27.8%, reaching $14.9 billion by 2032, according to Beyond Market Insights. Ondas believes that the current demand for counter-UAS capabilities is driven primarily by government customers, with defense and homeland security applications accounting for most of the spending on protecting borders, populations, and critical government locations. As hostile drone threats and civil aviation regulations evolve, Ondas anticipates significant growth in non-defense and commercial markets for protecting critical infrastructure assets. An Ondas subsidiary is expanding its manufacturing capacity to support the adoption of the Iron Drone Raider in the rapidly growing counter-drone market.
Post Image Credit- Ondas Holdings Inc.
