According to the Federal Aviation Administration, drone hobbyist sales will more than double from 1.9 million drones in 2016 to 4.3 million in 2020. This wide proliferation of commercial UAVs has led to numerous reports of airport traffic disruption, smuggling of illicit substances, illegal collection of video footage and disturbance of high-profile mass events. For example, numerous flights have been affected or cancelled due to incidents caused by drones, greatly affecting the airport transportation sector, passengers and society in general. It is a worldwide problem, affects different sectors of the society and causing significant financial losses in specific sectors.
Until recently, UAVs were not considered a security risk and their characteristics (small, slow, low altitude) make them virtually undetectable by traditional surveillance systems. As commercial UAVs proliferate and the interest of criminal and terrorist groups, as well as ill-intended individuals, grows for the use of sophisticated UAVs to support illicit activities, new technologies and solutions are required to counter them.
RNCA responds to this market opportunity and growing societal concern by providing an affordable and high-performing automated and transportable solution, capable of effectively and efficiently detect, classify and track UAVs, to assist LEAs and OCIs in maintaining public safety and security.
The Evolved Sky Patriot (ePatriot) uses optical and thermal video (allowing day and night surveillance), applying advanced video algorithms fully developed in-house and software functions with high levels of automation. Based on passive sensors (cameras), ePatriot can be used even in areas that highly constrain radio-frequency emissions or other active means, thus presenting broad and global business opportunities that address a major customer need.
The ePatriot1 Feasibility Study, funded by the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 774256, allowed RNC Avionics to conduct a thorough assessment of the scientific and technological (S/T) viability of the innovation, as well as the economic and financial feasibility.
