Cambridge Sensoriis to showcase radar technology in Germany

It has extended the capabilities of its proprietary Active Radar Cooperating (ARC™) system. And it has expanded its product portfolio by introducing RadarAware™, an obstacle detect-and-avoid system that supports beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) operations.

This strategic addition bolsters the company’s deep expertise in radar antenna design and augments UAV operational capabilities for mission critical operations.

Both upgrades will be unveiled at Xponential Europe, taking place from February 18-20 in Düsseldorf. Visitors can see the innovations first-hand at Sensoriis’ stand 1E21 in Hall 1.

Weighing less than 500 grams, RadarAware™ is believed to be the most compact and power efficient solution available on the market. The system features no moving parts, fully electronic beam steer antenna arrays, and is optimised to meet the low SWaP requirements of civil UAVs.

RadarAware™ collects and collates comprehensive data for numerous parameters including range, elevation, bearing, relative velocity, and features an inbuilt tracker. The system has been designed for seamless integration with host flight controllers via its API, ensuring quick deployment across various UAV platforms.

Using direct radar range measurements between multiple ground and airborne radar devices, the company’s low SWaP radar system delivers unmatched precision and reliability for UAV operations in the most challenging environments, including adverse weather, poor visibility, low light conditions and GNSS-denied scenarios.

It marks a significant breakthrough in obstacle detection and collision avoidance technology, positioning Sensoriis as a key player in the DAA market. The system’s advanced capabilities align seamlessly with Sensoriis’ flagship ARC™ solution, designed to support precision landing and radar-based tethering in adverse weather, low/bright light, poor visibility conditions, or in areas without Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS).

With the launch of RadarAware™, Sensoriis continues to lead the way in radar innovation. The company’s advanced radar technology is set to transform BVLOS operations for UAVs, providing the unparalleled safety, reliability, and efficiency needed to drive drone deployments at scale.

Steve Clark, CEO of Sensoriis says: “The UAV industry is evolving quickly and RadarAware™ and its detect and avoid/detect and intercept capabilities are a direct result of customer requirements.

“We are already conducting flight testing with early adopters and have customer orders in the pipeline. RadarAware™ is the first in a series of additional devices we are planning to launch this year with increasing detection ranges up to 2,500 metres.”

The second of the two updates is also significant: The latest iteration of ARC™ supports radar-based ‘tethering’ – a cutting-edge feature that allows UAVs to autonomously track and follow moving vehicles without needing satellite navigation.

By utilising localisation data from ARC™’s standalone radars, UAVs can maintain a fixed position and altitude directly above a moving vehicle or platform. This innovation is ideally suited for Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) missions, as well as search-and-rescue operations.

Other advanced capabilities include safe, autonomous landings on moving or unstable platforms. ARC’s built-in technology dynamically compensates for roll, pitch, and yaw movements in real time, providing the stability and resilience needed for mission critical operations such as landing on a ship in rough seas.

ARC™ also supports zonal position hold capabilities and complex UAV manoeuvres such as 360-degree turns without relying on any other sensors.

Steve Clark says: “ARC™ is the result of close collaboration with our clients and partners. We’ve always believed that advanced capabilities such as tethering and autonomous landing could enhance drone operations, and we’re excited to pioneer further innovations for commercial and military airborne systems.”

The ARC™ system comprises three or more radar devices: a primary unit mounted on the UAV and a network of secondary units installed on a landing pad or moving target.

The system captures and processes highly accurate information, including range (accurate to within one centimetre), elevation, azimuth, altitude, and identification. The system currently operates over a range of 120 metres, with plans to extend this in the future.

Sensoriis says it is the only company offering an ultralight radar system designed specifically for the UAV industry. The company is actively engaging with regulatory bodies to ensure its technology complies with current spectrum usage standards and is pursuing important DO-365/366 certification.