Vigilant Aerospace demonstrated its new FlightHorizon DEFENDER counter-UAS system in early February as the first featured system for the Oklahoma Army National Guard’s new Counter-UAS training center located at Camp Gruber near Braggs, Oklahoma.
The demonstration showcased FlightHorizon’s ability to detect, track and warn on unknown drones entering the airspace and approaching specific locations using a laptop and a small portable radar.
Conducted at the invitation of Col. Shane Riley, Director of Military Support for the Oklahoma National Guard, and coordinated by Craig Mahaney, CEO of the DronePort Network, the event hosted twenty National Guard and US Army members from across the US and was the first event of the new Counter-UAS Training Center at Camp Gruber.
“We were delighted that the Oklahoma Army National Guard chose to feature FlightHorizon for their first demonstration at their new counter-UAS training center,” said Kraettli L. Epperson, CEO of Vigilant Aerospace.
“Our goal with FlightHorizon DEFENDER is to field a cost-effective airspace management and counter-UAS system that fits in a backpack and can be set up by a single person in a few minutes. I think we demonstrated that capability effectively during this event,” said Epperson.
Soldiers from several commands across the US attended as well as representatives from the Cherokee Federal company and the Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education (OAIRE) at Oklahoma State University.
From a recent press video regarding the launch of the new training center, Col. Shane Riley said, “We have been really concerned as an organization and as a nation about the threats that are evolving around the world. And the concern for us specifically as a National Guard unit, is to provide force protection and capabilities for our maneuver formations.” said Riley.
“[W]e are providing a learning space and an environment in which the DOD, academics and industry can come together and create solutions in the UAS and Counter-UAS and unmanned systems world… There’s a big challenge to go out and compete and fight in that unmanned systems environment, and it’s a complex environment to compete in. It takes a multi-disciplinary capability. Cyber, electronic warfare, aviation and aeronautics all have to get involved to solve those problems,” said Riley.
The initial development of FlightHorizon DEFENDER was supported by a US Air Force AFWERX SBIR contract, which the company completed in 2023. The product is currently in pre-release testing. For more information or to receive a demonstration, please contact Vigilant Aerospace.
The system utilizes the radar integration, multi-sensor correlation functions and airspace display of the FlightHorizon software to warn facility managers and base commanders about intruding drones when an aircraft is detected in a prohibited area.
In addition to helping to coordinate the event, the DronePort Network’s Aaron Baker piloted the intruder drone, flying onto the field to demonstrate FlightHorizon’s ability to detect, track and warn on unknown drones entering the airspace.
Vigilant anticipates an increasing number of demonstration opportunities through the new counter-UAS training center at Camp Gruber and looks forward to supporting the Oklahoma National Guard at future events.
About the DronePort Network
The DronePort Network is an aerospace infrastructure development company focused on turnkey solutions that will allow communities to support the rapid scalability of drone technology. The DronePort Network can provide a full infrastructure technology stack needed to safely integrate drone technology into your community’s everyday life.
For more information, please visit the website: DronePort Network (droneports.net)
About the Oklahoma National Guard
Read more about the Oklahoma National Guard at their website: Home (ng.mil)
Read more about the Oklahoma National Guard’s new Counter-UAS School at Camp Gruber: Oklahoma National Guard Tests Drone Technologies > National Guard > Article View
Vigilant Aerospace is the leading developer of detect-and-avoid and airspace management software for uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS or drones). The company’s product, FlightHorizon, is based on two NASA patents and uses data from multiple sources to display a real-time picture of the air traffic around a UAS and to provide automatic avoidance maneuvers to prevent collisions. The software is designed to meet industry technical standards, to provide automatic safety and to allow UAS to safely fly beyond the sight of the pilot. The software has won multiple industry awards and the company has had contracts and users at NASA, the FAA, the U.S. Department of Defense and with a variety of drone development programs. Visit our website at www.VigilantAerospace.com