MC2 Technologies develops a multi-layer approach for anti-drone warfare with DNA-Drone. The French company is showcasing its solutions at IDEX 2023, Abu Dhabi.
MC2 Technologies' Counter UAV solutions. (Picture source: MC2 Technologies)
Commercial drones represent a vulnerability in the actual defence of our airspace.
Commercial drones, whether isolated or in swarms, represent a threat. In Europe, incidents involving UAVs are becoming more frequent despite tightened regulations. In 2019, about 2,000 UAV-related incidents occurred in European skies, according to the European Aviation Safety Agency, compared to 600 between 2011 and 2015.
In 2015, several Commercial drones were detected near the Ile Longue site where the French army's four nuclear ballistic missile submarines are located. Similar incidents have occurred around the Sainte-Assise military site, the Navy's telecommunications centre.
UAVs, whether isolated or in swarms, represent a threat to public security, private sites or soldiers in operation. Their proliferation on the market as well as their ease of acquisition have metamorphosed the airspace by making it vulnerable.
Their presence in low altitude, even very low altitude represents a risk of accidental fall but also a means for malicious users to trigger explosions, deliver any type of package, disrupt air traffic, or spy on sensitive infrastructures
Managing the aerial defence of port infrastructures with a multi-layer approach
To face the threat of UAVs, MC2 Technologies has combined its expertise to propose a global multi-sensor solution DNA-Drone. This new generation system is composed of 3 bricks that interact via a command centre. It is based on the key principles: detection and identification, classification, and neutralisation, to organize the air defence of spaces to be secured.
For the detection, identification and classification part, conventional ground-air defence systems do not detect commercial drones at all or only to a limited extent because they fly at low speed and have a low radar signature.
DNA-Drone addresses this issue with its W-band (ultra-high frequency) radar combining Doppler and micro-Doppler analysis and its Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum analyser capable of detecting small commercial UAVs together and through unifying algorithms.
Once one or more Commercial drones are detected, the second part of the system comes into action: a communication jamming between the drone and its base is triggered autonomously or by manual activation of the operator via the DNA-Drone interface. The malicious drone/swarm is immediately stopped, preventing the realization of its misdeed.
MC2 Technologies, a reference in counter-UAV
Since 2014, MC2 Technologies has been using its microwave expertise to develop proven and internationally recognized counter-UAV systems. With a French design, manufacturing and production, MC2 Technologies masters its entire value chain.
The company has received the label "Used by the French Armed Forces" for its NEROD system. Every year, it provides protection for major events such as the July 14th ceremony.
MC2 Technologies participates in the PARADE project within the Thales and CS GROUP consortium, which will reinforce the security of major events such as the Rugby World Cup 2023 and the Olympic Games 2024.
