Drone attacks in Ukraine: an expert told which weapons protect cities better than radars
In Ukraine, according to public data, in 2024-2025 there will be a network of more than 10,000 acoustic sensors that pick up the sounds of the operation of drones, such as Shahed, at low altitudes. During one of the attacks, the Sky Fortress system helped shoot down 80 out of 84 enemy drones, surprising even the US military. Later, the Ukrainians demonstrated it to their allies at the Ramstein Air Base, and Lithuania was so impressed that it plans to deploy the technology on its territory.
As Louis Sijans explained, the sensors monitor the appearance of drones in cities where it is difficult or dangerous to use radars. First, radar stations create radiation that is harmful to people, and secondly, the same radiation gives away their location to the enemy. Meanwhile, acoustic sensors are invisible, harmless and do not require special permits. Each node creates around itself an "acoustic bubble" with a radius of about a kilometer, which can be compared to hearing.
Five to six sets will cover a significant area. Artificial intelligence analyzes the sounds and determines whether it is a drone or something else. Askalon Industries teaches its models to distinguish objects by the sound of screws, high-speed gears, and the resonance of housings. If the drone falls within the range of several sensors, the system triangulates the direction and speed, and the arrival time and amplitude of the signal give the course and approximate distance.
"Today it works stably for a distance of about a kilometer; I'm sure we'll go further with node cooperation and better models," the developer said. It is appropriate to use radars at airfields and military facilities, but not in cities. They are bulky, require a lot of energy and are sensitive to terrain. A small, polymer-body UAV has a tiny effective scattering area (ESR), so multiple antennas, cables, and substantial budgets are required for a 360° all-round view.