Countries in Europe are reportedly evaluating a system developed by Israeli company R2 Wireless for the early detection of drones.
Ever since the war broke out on Oct. 7, 2023, one of the major problems that Israel has encountered is in detecting drones in time to enable effective interception. R2 Wireless is one of the Israeli companies that had been working to offer solutions. The company’s technology is said to be capable of detecting drones early by picking up their RF signals.
According to reports, R2 Wireless recently took part in an exercise with NATO nations. The company says its systems are deployed across the globe, including military bases in NATO countries, sensitive locations in German cities, sites in Israel, and other undisclosed areas.
R2 Wireless’ solution detects drone activity by picking up their unique radio (RF) signals. Unlike radar or cameras, this system works in urban areas and can identify not only the drone’s location but also its type, model, and even its operator. It has already been used to protect borders, cities, and critical infrastructure worldwide. According to the company, its system is also effective against First Person View (FPV) drones that have been used extensively in Ukraine and are becoming a fast-growing threat.
“Detection is the biggest challenge, not interception — because you can’t effectively intercept the threat in time if you don’t know what you’re looking for and where it is,” Yiftach Richter, the company’s founder and CTO, told GBP Aerospace & Defence.
Since the war broke out on Oct. 7 2023 the Iranian proxies in Lebanon and Yemen have used armed drones to attack Israel. In spite of the fact that Israel has a multi-tiered air defence system, it has managed to intercept only a small number of the armed drones. This has forced Israel in some cases to scramble fighter aircraft and helicopters to try and intercept the drones.
Tracking rogue drones is a growing challenge, especially in bad weather. Traditional tools like cameras and radar often struggle in these conditions—they work well on clear days in open areas but lose accuracy, during fog, rain, or snow, and with drones flying low. They can also trigger false alarms.
According to the company, the system can recognize and classify a new drone threat with just one example, thanks to its AI-powered algorithms. This makes it ideal for keeping up with constantly evolving drone technology.
By focusing on drone communication signals, R2’s solution is easy to deploy and doesn’t require expensive hardware. The technology could be used to help secure sensitive areas like military bases, nuclear plants, borders, and other high-risk sites, offering a smarter way to manage drone threats.
According to R2, its robust signal processing extracts distinct analog and digital properties from each signal using patented RF fingerprinting methods. This makes it possible to detect and record reoccurring risks and to uniquely identify wireless devices.
R2 says that advanced scholarly research in wireless communication, signal processing, machine learning, and estimation theory forms the foundation of R2’s core competency. “Thanks to years of research and development, R2’s technology guarantees accurate detection, categorization, and geolocation with few false alarms.”
The company’s low-power, small-footprint sensing technology offers constant, high-resolution defense against malicious activity. “R2 fortifies military sites, stations, and assets against security breaches and guarantees excellent perimeter defense. Real-time threat detection, geolocation, and signaling enables the perimeter to be secured with efficient preventative measures.”
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