SpotterRF, a global leader in low cost compact surveillance radar (CSR), has been recognized for the Third Consecutive Year ‘in the Annual ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program, with the company’s 3D-500 securing the Platinum Prize in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program.

The threat of sUAS (small unmanned aerial systems or small drones) is dramatically increasing as they become more accessible to the public, both friend and foe.

Anyone can buy a drone and utilize it for illegal and harmful activities, such as espionage or delivering nefarious payloads into secure or critical areas.

As aerial threats such as the recent drone attack on Venezuelan President Maduro, become an increasingly real threat, drone jamming and counter-drone systems are gaining attention and being more widely sought after.

(Officials in the South American country say explosives were dropped from drones as President Nicolas Maduro attended an event in Caracas. Courtesy of ABC News and YouTube. Posted on Aug 5, 2018.)

The alarming fact is that the frequency of such incidents is dramatically increasing.

Effective and cost-effective counter-drone systems, are also being sought after to tackle challenges such as illegal contraband drone deliveries to prisons, for drone espionage of critical and sensitive locations, to combat drone transport by international drug cartels to transport illegal drugs across the U.S./Mexican Border, and to counter domestic and international terror attacks.

In fact, in September 2017, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned Congress that terrorist groups are looking to use drones to wage terror attacks in the U.S.

“I think we do know that terrorist organizations have an interest in using drones,” Wray testified in a hearing for the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee.

“We’ve seen that overseas already with growing frequency. I think the expectation is that it’s coming here imminently.”

“I think they are relatively easy to acquire, relatively easy to operate, and quite difficult to disrupt and monitor.”

(FBI Director Christopher Wray has warned US Congress on Wednesday of imminent terrorist drone attacks on the US soil. Courtesy of C-Span, Chuck Ross and YouTube. Posted on Sep 27, 2017.)

A solution to combat these aerial threats is crucial and has been a high priority of SpotterRF since 2009.

Developed to counter and mitigate drone attacks, is the latest in a line of counter-drone radars from SpotterRF – the revolutionary 3D-500.

The 3D-500 is the first radar that creates a full dome drone detection area from 0 to 90 degrees in the vertical and 360 degrees in the horizontal with a single radar that weighs 12 pounds.

The 3D-500 radar measures latitude, longitude and altitude of all aerial targets in a 1 km wide hemisphere dome, even directly above the radar with no gaps in coverage.

Rapid threat assessment is simple with the automatic detection and 3D tracking of sUAS combined with fully automated camera cueing on the target.

Manpower and cost are both reduced with this system while mitigating the threat of undesired aerial presence.

Limitations of Current Solutions

Current solutions are limited in their technical capabilities, explains Logan Harris, CEO of SpotterRF.

• Optical and thermal sensors don’t have large enough fields of view to detect targets in the sky.

  • Additionally, they are affected by daily weather conditions, further reducing detection probability.

• Acoustic sensors are prone to noise pollution and are not able to provide precise tracking of targets.

  • They can be limited in range, often only able to detect several hundred feet out.

• Radio transmission detection systems are typically limited to known frequencies and cannot detect sUAS that are not being actively controlled by an RF signal.

• Other radar systems range from large rotating radars with limited vertical coverage leaving large gaps above the radar, to systems that require many different radar panels to be used simultaneously increasing the complexity and the cost.

(According to a report by Gizmodo, the US Department of Homeland Security is asking Congress to approve new legislation that would increase the agency’s ability to surveil, research, and attack drones flying in US airspace. Courtesy of Wochit News and YouTube. Posted on Jun 7, 2018. Learn More from DHS Security Chief Kirstjen M. Nielsen’s July 4, 2018 Washington Post opinion piece at bottom.)

3D-500 System Details

SpotterRF is now offering a full drone mitigation system based on the 3D-500 which consists of the following:

• The compact 3D-500
• Along-range optical/thermal camera
• A small networked hub containing power management and integration software,
• And an optional mitigation component – often a directional RF jammer on a pan/tilt turret to make even threat response automated

(Learn More in this fascinating application, as John Adrain, of Heracles Research Corporation uses SpotterRF radar to protect high end residential home, featured on the Discovery Channel. Courtesy of the Discovery Channel, SpotterRF and YouTube. Posted on Apr 30, 2015.)

Using the Full SpotterRF System

Using this system is extremely easy and simple. A typical scenario goes as follows:

• An sUAS approaches the site and enters the 500 meter detection radius of the radar
• The 3D radar automatically detects the target and tracks its location in midair, triggering an alarm to the operator
• Simultaneously, the PTZ camera is cued automatically to the target in real-time
• The operator glances at the screen and assesses the threat in just a few seconds
• Then a decision to activate the directional RF jammer may be made
• Triggered, the communication from the controller is actively jammed, which typically sends the sUAS back to the pilot removing the threat from the area
• The pilot can then be located and detained
• Alternatively, the jammer can be set to automatically apply its threat mitigation protocols if no operator is present to assess the situation

To analyze the threat of the sUAS, the operator must only look at the screen.

The tracking software displays a map of the location of the threat and generates a real-time track of the target as it is detected by the radar.

Target information such as GPS position, altitude, and speed is gathered and displayed on the screen.

Artificial intelligence is applied to this data to create greater efficiency in identifying which targets are sUAS while filtering out more than 95% of other clutter, such as birds.

Taking the 3D-500 to the Mobile Arena

Compact radar technology also allows for mobility of the entire system.

Weighing only 12 pounds, the flexibility of the 3D-500 makes it capable of being set up nearly anywhere in a manner of minutes.

Within a couple hours it can be calibrated, configured and ready for full system use on top of buildings, on stadiums, prisons or other structures.

This makes it ideal for use in quick deployment applications such as sporting events, concerts, VIP events, or mobile force protection.

(See why seven of the top 10 largest US electric utility providers chose SpotterRF Radar, as the best option for Electrical Utilities to secure their perimeter in all weather conditions. Courtesy of SpotterRF and YouTube. Posted on Apr 4, 2017.)

The SpotterRF 3D-500 Counter-UAS System solution is unique in the industry in nearly every aspect.

The system is small, has low power usage, and is not affected by inclement weather conditions.

It has large volumetric coverage even directly overhead with no gaps in coverage, tracks targets in 3 dimensions, and has high probability of detection with low false alarm rate.

The ability to slew-to-cue cameras to midair targets allows for it to be completely autonomous and gives it even greater precision than other solutions which often require unrealistic amounts of manpower.

There are other 3D counter-drone solutions on the market, but SpotterRF is confident they’ve taken the lead.

Cost effective, energy efficient, impervious to inclement weather plus the ability to track threats in all 3 dimensions – SpotterRF says the 3D-500 Counter-UAS System is “perfect for protecting assets and personnel from the growing threat of drones.”

SpotterRF at a Glance

SpotterRF provides protection beyond fences with the world’s most advanced Compact Surveillance Radar (CSR) systems for perimeter security and force protection.

Made in the USA and engineered for extreme conditions, SpotterRF technology develops the most compact, lightweight, energy efficient, and cost-effective radar solutions for elite warfighters and critical infrastructure requirements, such as electrical utilities.

SpotterRF Takes Top Honors in the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program

SpotterRF

• Best Persistent Aerial Monitoring Solution

• SpotterRF 3D-500  Full Dome 3D Counter-Drone Radar

• *SpotterRF was also recognized in the 2016 and 2017 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program

The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program is specifically designed to honor distinguished government and vendor solutions that deliver enhanced value, benefit and intelligence to end users in a variety of government, homeland security and public safety vertical markets.

Over 130 distinguished guests representing National, State and Local Governments, and Industry Leading Corporate Firms, gathered from across North America, Europe and the Middle East to be honored among their peers in their respective fields which included:

• The Department of Homeland Security
• The Federal Protective Service (FPS)
• Argonne National Laboratory
• The Department of Homeland Security
• The Department of Justice
• The Security Exchange Commission Office of Personnel Management
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection
• Viasat, Hanwha Techwin, Lenel, Konica Minolta Business Solutions, Verint, Canon U.S.A., BriefCam, Pivot3, Milestone Systems, Allied Universal, Ameristar Perimeter Security and More!

The Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program highlighting the most cutting-edge and forward-thinking security solutions coming onto the market today, to ensure our readers have the information they need to stay ahead of the competition, and keep our Nation safe – one facility, street, and city at a time.

The 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program was Proudly Sponsored by ATI Systems, Attivo Networks, Automatic Systems, Desktop Alert, and Royal Holdings Technologies.

2018 Champions Edition

See the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Champions Edition – ‘Best Products of 2018 ‘ Year in Review’ for in-depth coverage of the outstanding products and services of firms receiving American Security Today’s 2018‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards.’

Nominations for the AST 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program will officially open as of January 1st, 2019 at americansecuritytoday.com.

Enter Early to Maximize Media Coverage of your Products and Services at Kickoff, and Get the Recognition Your Organization Deserves!

And be sure to Register Early for the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Presentation Luncheon at ISC East 2019 to ensure your place at this limited- space event!

Why the 2018 ‘ASTORS’ Homeland Security Awards Program?

American Security Today’s comprehensive Annual Homeland Security Awards Program is organized to recognize the most distinguished vendors of physical, IT, port security, law enforcement, and first responders, in acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to ‘Keep our Nation Secure, One City at a Time.’

Why American Security Today?

American Security Today is uniquely focused on the broader Homeland Security & Public Safety marketplace with over 70,000 readers at the Federal, State and local levels of government as well as firms allied to government.

The old traditional security marketplace has been covered by a host of security publications that have changed little over many years.

American Security Today brings forward a fresh compelling look and read with our customized digital publications that provides our readers with solutions to their challenges.

Our Editorial staff provides a full plate of topics for our AST monthly digital editions, AST Website and AST Daily News Alerts.

The editorial calendar and AST’s high drawing website features 23 different Technology and Marketing Sectors such as Access Control, Perimeter Protection, Video Surveillance/Analytics, Airport Security, Border Security, CBRNE Detection, Border Security, Ports, Cybersecurity, Networking Security, Encryption, Law Enforcement, First Responders, Campus Security, Security Services, Corporate Facilities and Emergency Response among others.

These sectors are part of the new integration, where these major applications communicate with one another in a variety of solutions to protect our cities and critical infrastructure.

AST has Expanded readership into vital Critical Infrastructure audiences such as Protection of Nuclear Facilities, Water Plants & Dams, Bridges & Tunnels, and other Potential targets of terrorism.

Other areas of concern include Transportation Hubs, Public Assemblies, Government Facilities, Sporting & Concert Stadiums, our Nation’s Schools & Universities, and Commercial Business Destinations – enticing targets for extremist or lone wolf attacks due to the large number of persons and resources clustered together.

Learn More…

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