Integrated drone solutions

High-performance TRL-9 RF sensors for MoD, government agencies, and commercial customers requiring EW & ISR sensor payload solutions for UAVs

Delivering an unmanned & autonomous future

Lightweight, rugged, high-performance RF sensors operating to 18 GHz for unmanned aerial vehicles. A sophisticated EW & ISR sensor payload and engineering support to help you achieve spectrum dominance through real time spectrum monitoring, DF, and recording I/Q data in high definition.   

Integrated drones image

RF sensor payloads for EW & ISR

CFRS collaborates with strategic agencies involved with future UAS capability planning, as advocated by The Defense Systems Information Analysis Center (DSIAC), The Joint UAV Center of Excellence (JUAS COE), and the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI).

For EW and ISR missions, militaries require the high-performance RF sensors already used by the DoD, MoD, and NATO. However, these sensors need to have a lighter form factor for payload integration into various UAS. CRFS’ new lightweight sensor technology, software, and APIs enable UAS operators to exploit EW payload technology to enhance their ISR missions.

Group

Size

Maximum Gross Take off Weight (MGTW) kg

Operational altitude (m)

UAV type

Integration considerations

Group 1

Small

7–9.5
(for EW payload)

0–600

Rotary, Tethered

Lightweight RF sensor and miniature antennas.

Group 2

Medium

9.5–25

< 900

Fixed wing, Rotary

Lightweight RF sensor and miniature antennas.
Filters, location of equipment within airframe,
and vibration damping.

Group 3

Large

< 600

< 5,500

Fixed wing, Rotary

Lightweight RF sensor and miniature antennas.
Filters, location of equipment within airframe,
and vibration damping.

Group 4

Larger

> 600

< 5,500

Fixed wing, Rotary

Lightweight RF sensor and miniature antennas.
Filters, location of equipment within airframe,
vibration damping, and data storage and streaming.

Group 5

Largest

> 600

> 5,500

Fixed Wing

Lightweight RF sensor and miniature antennas.
Filters, location of equipment within airframe,
vibration damping, and data storage and streaming.

 

extend line of sight

 

Extending line-of-sight & the radio horizon 

CRFS’ RFeye Node 100-18 LW is a lightweight and intelligent sensor with in-built edge processing to reduce backhaul data bandwidth. It can record and capture I/Q data in high fidelity, offers advanced signal intercept, and boasts exceptional RF performance (9 kHz – 18 GHz).

Integrating RF sensors into UAVs offers significant benefits by enhancing surveillance capabilities and intelligence collection. Improved line-of-sight (LOS) enables more precise and comprehensive surveillance over vast areas, directly contributing to an increased observation radius. Additionally, a larger information collection cone provided by UAVs means more data can be gathered, improving intelligence collection’s overall efficiency and effectiveness.

Benefits of integrating RF sensors as UAS payloads
  • Improved line-of-sight (LOS)
  • Increased observation radius
  • Variable height antenna (anywhere, anytime) with reduced risk to personnel
  • Larger information collection cone
  • Passive monitoring (adversaries are unaware they have been detected)
  • Tethered platforms can have zero RF emissions
  • Standalone or networked C2 or sub-system capability
  • Workflow – collect, capture, and analyze RF data, create detectors, build a situational awareness picture, gain spectrum superiority
  • Transforms broad area surveillance, border security monitoring, communications intelligence, coastal surveillance, I/Q data collection
  • Integrated intelligence across multiple domains
LW Node
Spectrum monitoring

Drones with integrated RF receivers allow operators to monitor the spectrum flexibly. Rapid deployment into inaccessible or hostile environments and streaming RF data in real-time enables instant analysis and decision-making.

Geolocation & TDoA

Operating at high altitudes, drones with RF receivers as a payload have an increased line of sight, allowing teams to cover a large land or sea area and geolocate ground-based targets situated beyond the horizon. 

Signal capture & analysis

Using drones for long-duration, wideband recording of signals of interest in high fidelity provides real-time situational awareness. The combination of mobility, elevation, and advanced RF analysis is essential for critical missions. 

ISR capabilities cover 3d

GUIDE

Drone sensors & drone payload solutions

Learn why RF sensors provide significant advantages for UAV ISR missions, enhancing intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. Discover EW & ISR lightweight RF sensor payload technology and overcome engineering challenges.

INCREASING LINE OF SIGHT & GEOLOCATING GROUND-BASED  TARGETS FROM A LONG DISTANCE
ISR MISSIONS AT SEA & ACROSS HOSTILE BORDERS
DEPLOYMENT STORIES
INCREASING LINE OF SIGHT & GEOLOCATING GROUND-BASED TARGETS FROM A LONG DISTANCE

How TEKEVER & CRFS collaborated to fit UAS with ultra-sensitive RF receivers as a payload.

Read the story
DEPLOYMENT STORIES
ISR MISSIONS AT SEA & ACROSS HOSTILE BORDERS

How combining ground & air-based RF sensors improved ISR and target acquisition.

Read the story
RF sensor payload cover-1

DATA SHEET

Extending line-of-sight & the radio horizon
How Elistair and CRFS collaborated to fit the precision flight Orion 2.2 TE tactical tethered drone with RF sensors to add EMSO capability to land-based ISR missions.

Drone integration story

team-4

Book a call with an integrated drone advisor

Our range of solutions can integrate spectrum monitoring and DF capabilities into tactical and mobile deployments. They help enhance EW superiority strategies and ISR missions.

Related products

CRFS offers a combination of hardware and software solutions for UAVs.

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RFeye Node 100-18-LW
RFeye Node 100-18-LW

High-performance RF sensor for autonomous system integration. An ideal EW / ISR sensor payload enabling real-time spectrum monitoring and I/Q data collection to 18 GHz.

RFeye Site
RFeye Site

RFeye Site is a toolbox to monitor the spectrum in real-time and geolocate signals in complex RF environments.

RFeye Mission Manager
RFeye Mission Manager

RFeye Mission Manager is a toolset for automated spectrum management and near-time incident reporting.

RFeye DeepView
RFeye DeepView

RFeye DeepView is a forensic signal analysis software solution offering a 100% probability of intercept.

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