Carol Collins
Echodyne has received a $454,099 other transaction agreement from the Department of Homeland Security to test the potential use of a metamaterial-based radar for small unmanned aircraft system detection and tracking operations.
The company will demonstrate its Metamaterials Electronically Scanning Array radar platform for DHS’ science and technology directorate under the Silicon Valley Innovation Program Phase 5 award, the department said Thursday.
S&T plans to start the integration of Echodyne’s MESA technology with other sensors to develop a system of systems intended to recognize small UAS.
The Kirkland, Washington-based company developed its radar architecture using metamaterials for potential border security use during the previous phases of SVIP.
Ron McNeal, director of SVIP transition at DHS S&T, said that Echodyne’s technology served as a key sensor in an autonomous surveillance tower development program backed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
McNeal added that the department seeks to explore additional MESA radar use cases in counter-UAS scenarios.
In October 2019, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency deployed Echodyne’s EchoGuard and EchoFlight radars on large tethered balloons as part of DARPA’s Aerial Dragnet program.
