PC develops UAS Threat Tracker

PANAMA CITY, Fla. - Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City, Fla., scientists and engineers have developed a system to autonomously detect, track, and classify unmanned aerial systems (UAS) from land or sea. The Threat Tracker is a detection system comprised of commercial off-the-shelf 3D radars and optical sensors. Threat Tracker incorporates machine learning algorithms to autonomously process radar detections, analyze thermal images to assist in video-based tracking, and classify tracked targets to determine if the object is a UAS, according to Marvin Peardon, Threat Tracker program manager. “This is important because it can decide on its own if it is a bird or an actual UAS.” Another unique feature is its gyro-stabilized Marine Platform designed to be mounted on a boat or vehicle, says Jeremy Johnson, Threat Tracker systems manager. “The gyro-stabilized Marine Platform will prevent the imagery from being distorted and possibly misclassified.” NSWCPC developed the program to be able to provide the information collected to any command and control system, he says. “The user at that point can make a determination about the next step.” Threat Tracker successfully performed in a recent exercise, but Peardon and Johnson say they hope to conduct operational testing later this year. (Source: NSWCPC 03/08/20) https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/SavedNewsModule/Article/2103621/new-technology-can-autonomously-track-uas-from-land-sea/