In early 2022 Northrop Grumman entered into a strategic agreement and minority investment in Echodyne. The initial collaboration area is focused on counter-UAS, where Echodyne’s radars offer performance and SwaP advantages that are expected to bring immediate mission value, says a joint press release.
Northrop Grumman’s Mobile Application for UAS Identification (MAUI) is a mobile acoustic sensor that operates on Android cell phones and uses the phone’s microphone to detect Group 1 drones, defined as UASs weighing less than 20 pounds, flying lower than 1,200 feet and flying slower than 100 knots. The MAUI software-based approach leverages commercial off-the-shelf mobile devices to provide beyond-line-of-sight detection and identification of UAS threats in high noise environments. The company’s Drone Restricted Access Using Known EW (DRAKE) is a radio-frequency negation system that delivers a nonkinetic, selective electronic attack of Group 1 drones. DRAKE demonstrates the feasibility of repurposing mature counter-improvised explosive device technology for interoperable, counter-UAS missions while protecting friendly force communications.
