Austrian communication and information systems developer Frequentis has developed a drone-based chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) reconnaissance and surveillance system (RSS).

According to the company, the CBRN RSS was developed under the European Defense Agency as a part of its European Defense Industrial Development Programme to detect CBRN elements, thereby safeguarding personnel who would previously use handheld or vehicle-mounted sensors to detect these elements while exposing them to hazardous materials.

Source: FrequentisSource: Frequentis

To accomplish this, Frequentis developed a data fusion cell (DFC) that functions as a centralized hub for integrating information from various sources, including sensors and drones. Such information reportedly enables the full analysis of hazardous substance detection and rapid decision-making.

“Normally, it would take us two hours to achieve this result. With the use of these modern technologies, we can reduce this time to 40 to 45 minutes, and we don’t have to bring soldiers directly to the source of danger, as this is taken over by robots and drones,” the researchers explained.

The DFC promises to empower military personnel with real-time intelligence to subsequently respond quickly and effectively to emerging threats.

By integrating CBRN sensors into drones, Frequentis suggests that military personnel will be able to remotely detect, identify, monitor and offer important information on hazardous substances discovered in emergency scenarios.
Further, these enhanced drones could also be used to survey areas for radiation levels, enter burning buildings that are releasing hazardous gases, monitor toxic chemicals, and search for and locate threats. Such CBRN payloads incorporated onto unmanned systems can potentially transmit real-time information or collect air samples via probes for laboratory analysis.

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