Spotting a drone from a moving off-road vehicle is exactly what Robin Radar developed IRIS for. A compact rooftop radar scans all around, measures the height of objects and helps identify whether a bird or a drone is flying nearby.
The Dutch technology is also attracting takeover interest. According to Reuters on 1 October, BAE Systems is among those exploring a bid. Owner Parcom was reportedly preparing a sale process at a possible valuation of around €2 billion. No takeover has been announced.
IRIS looks beyond a dot on a screen. It uses micro-Doppler: tiny changes in reflected signals reveal movements such as spinning propellers. Neural-network software helps classify those patterns, allowing an operator to distinguish a drone from a bird more quickly.
According to the manufacturer, IRIS provides 360-degree coverage and measures altitude. Its stated instrumented range is five kilometres; actual detection distance depends on the target and conditions, among other factors.
The striking feature is its ability to keep working on the move. With the on-the-move function, it detects, tracks and classifies drones from a land vehicle travelling at up to 100 km/h. A convoy therefore does not have to stop to monitor its surroundings.
Robin says the radar weighs 29 kilograms and can also be installed on a tripod or building. Its job is detection and tracking. For interception, it must pass data to other sensors or countermeasures.
Defence Watch previously covered its integration with an interceptor drone. That explains the value of a small radar: first locate the drone, then another system can respond.
