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Satnews Daily
July 30th, 2015

Acoustic Array For Micro Drones To Be Supplied By Microflown AVISA


[SatNews] Last week, Microflown AVISA obtained a contract from an undisclosed nation to supply a distributed array of Acoustic Multi-Mission Sensors (AMMSs) for acoustic micro drone localization in an urban environment, even predicting its future position.

The order was inspired by the positive results obtained during the NATO Bristow 15 counter UAV exercise in Scotland earlier this year. Earlier this month, Microflown AVISA obtained funding from the Dutch government to develop the same “SKYSENTRY” capability to handle the emerging threat of small toy shop multicopter drones.

The array is designed to work in an urban environment where the humming noise of a small drone is disguised by a wide variety of other, often louder noises. Rapid deploy ability can be ensured by a dedicated Perch & Listen multicopter carrying the AMMS to a certain rooftop. The unique capability of an AMMS to separate sound sources with an “acoustic straw” in a full hemispherical 3-D space provides a unique competitive edge, using Microflown AVISA’s proprietary Microflown transducer, capable of measuring the vector value acoustic particle velocity ( instead of the scalar value sound pressure).

To underline its versatility, the very same acoustic array will also be used for the localization of gunshots/ ATM blasts and the tracking of helicopters in the urban skies. Microflown AVISA is an active member of several NATO INDUSTRY ADVISORY GROUPS dealing with the threats of low, small and slow flying autonomous airborne platforms.