DeTect announced installation of its DroneWatcher™ drone detection and defense system at the Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP) in Panama City, Florida. Drone incursions into controlled airspace around airports has emerged as a major security and flight safety risk over the past few years and DeTect’s DroneWatcher system provides the highest level of detection and control available.

When fully implemented the system will include DeTect’s DroneWatcher RF (radiofrequency), APP (smartphone application) and DSR (drone surveillance radar) technologies to provide multi-layer drone detection and defense for the airport.

The Phase 1 installation and commissioning completed to date includes a DroneWatcher RF sensor on the airport control tower and deployment of multiple DroneWatcher APP enabled smartphones that will be used by airport police as roving drone detectors (the DroneWatcher APP, available in free and paid versions on Google Play, turns Android smartphones and tablets into crowdsourced drone detectors).

Over the next month, a DroneWatcher DSR will be installed on the airport to provide a third layer of drone detection and defense. The DSR will additionally function as a bird radar providing real-time bird-aircraft strike risk alerts to airport flight safety managers. Drone incursion alerts and birdstrike risk alerts will be provided to airport users via custom, real-time web displays and through automated text messaging.

DeTect is a US-based, global leader in remote sensing technologies with offices in the US and Europe and projects worldwide. DeTect’s products include drone surveillance and interdiction systems, aircraft bird strike avoidance radars, UAV Ground-based Sense and Avoid system, airspace and marine security radars, border protection radars, and bird radars for wind farm and industrial bird control and protection.