UNCLASSIFIED

UAS Detection Experiences with

Acoustics
DroneShield LLC

UNCLASSIFIED
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 UNCLASSIFIED

Operational UAS Detection with Acoustics

(Security Acoustics Can Fill Critical Gaps in CUAS
perimeter
installation)
• “Low, Slow, and Small” UAS are a growing
threat that legacy CUAS will not detect
• Acoustics compliment radar and RF
detection against smaller, low signature UAS
• Acoustic emissions are difficult to conceal or
spoof
(Outdoor range installation) • Alerts integrate with existing COP for a
variety of response measures
• Digital evidence can be analyzed for
(DHS Drone
Rodeo program)
intelligence

Acoustic UAS Sensors are Operational Acoustics Are a Mature Technology

Acoustics can be part of both Above and Below- • High TRL – acoustic CUAS detectors are
Brigade CONOPS. Current installations include: available commercially now
• Harassment – Protecting outdoor ranges • Low cost, low false alarm rates, high
• Executive Protection – Warning of surveillance and detection and classification rates
activists • Detects low-signature (“low, slow, and
• Prisons – Alert to contraband smuggling
• Corporate Espionage – Protect against computer
small”) UAS currently undetectable by
network and video surveillance legacy RF or radar systems
• Homeland Security – Participating in DHS Drone • Available in both Below Brigade (mobile)
Rodeo program and Above Brigade (enterprise)
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DroneShield
• DroneShield is a commercially
available UAS detection device
with a proven history of CUAS
experience

• Patent pending technology based

on matching acoustic samples to
a database of threats
– High Pd, low PFA

• Acoustics can fill critical gaps in

traditional CUAS strategies
– Detect “low, slow, and small”
threats
– Difficult to conceal or spoof
– Low-cost, high TRL
– Operationally effective now
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 UNCLASSIFIED

Acoustics Can Fill Critical Gaps

• “Low, Slow, and Small” UAS are a
growing threat

• Legacy CUAS will not be effective

against “low, slow, and small”

• Acoustics are complementary to

legacy sensors and are needed to
provide complete CUAS protection

• DroneShield aligns with both

above- and below-brigade
CONOPS

• DroneShield will have minimal

impact on DOTLMPF
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DroneShield Is Operational
• Over 100 installations with orders
from 18 different countries

• Commercial and residential

– Shooting ranges
– Counter-espionage
– VIP/executive protection

• Government
– DHS’ Drone Rode program
– State prisons
– DCA Reagan National Airport
– Black Dart 2014
– USSOCOM Tech Experiment

UNCLASSIFIED
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 UNCLASSIFIED

Key Points
• Acoustics can fill critical gaps in CUAS strategies and are complimentary to
legacy CUAS sensors

• Acoustics are high TRL and low-cost

• DroneShield is providing Counter-UAS protection available now

Method Advantages Limitations

Radar • Range (2-30km) • Difficulty tracking low/slow/small drones

• Localization • Higher cost ($200-900k/unit = $1k-40k/mi2)
EO/IR • Precise bearings obtained from • Target recognition (birds)
each sensor (5km range) • Medium costs ($10k/unit = $0.4k/mi2)
Passive RF • Potential detect both drone • Defeated by TTP disabling uplink/downlink before flying
and drone operator preplanned mission
Acoustic • Signal difficult to mask • Relatively limited range ($1.5k/unit = $0.06k/mi2)
• Low-cost, high TRL • Sensitive to background noise

UNCLASSIFIED
DroneShield LLC. Proprietary Information.
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