Mads & Gert are listening for drones in Ukraine: It is simple, but it works

In Ukraine, where new weapons are constantly reshaping the battlefield, a Danish company has developed a technology that can detect deadly drones without revealing its position. The system is inspired by a surprising model from nature and is already in use at the front.

In a modern war zone such as the front in Ukraine, there is a constant arms race in the most literal sense. Fibre-optic drones controlled through cables stretching up to 20km are a good example. Their signal cannot be disrupted by jamming, and they are extremely difficult to detect. When fitted with missiles or bombs, they can cause significant damage.

But inspired by lizards, a start-up in Odense has developed an effective tool against these drones, and it is simpler than one might expect: it listens for them.

“We have developed an acoustic detection system that can pick up drones at distances of up to five kilometres. At its core is a combination of highly sensitive microphones and machine learning algorithms that can classify and pinpoint the sound of drones,” explains CEO Gert Nielsen.

The technology stems from many years of research at the University of Southern Denmark (SDU), where biologists and engineers have studied how lizards use their hearing for precise directional sensing.

“It is 30 years since the Department of Biology and the Maersk Institute began this research together. Among many other things, they examined the extraordinarily precise directional hearing of lizards, and then they asked whether we could find a practical application for it,” says Mads Helle, CTO at Bionic Systems Solutions and former researcher at SDU.

It just works

One problem with most detection systems, such as radar, is that they themselves emit a signal which the enemy can detect and use to launch missiles at, or to jam electronically.

Unlike other detection systems such as radar, BSS Komodo, as the system is called, emits no signals and is therefore invisible to the enemy.

The first sensors are already in place in Ukraine, where local partners and the Ukrainian defence forces are testing the system, and more are on the way.

The system provides early warning, giving soldiers and civilians time to take cover, while also helping to determine the direction of incoming drones so they can be countered.

“Ukraine is, unfortunately, the ultimate testing ground because there are so many drone attacks. But we can collect data there and use it to improve the system and to demonstrate to other customers that it can compete with much more expensive technologies such as radar,” says Gert Nielsen.

“We are hearing from them that the acoustics work. It may be simple and easy to grasp, but it just works,” emphasises Mads Helle.

From research to business

Bionic Systems Solutions began developing the system in the spring of 2020, and last year the first revenues started coming in.

While driven by the defence sector, the company’s AI-powered solutions can also be used to optimise wastewater treatment by reducing chemical use, measure noise pollution in industrial areas, and monitor the performance of equipment and machinery.

“But defence will clearly make up the largest part of our revenue this year, which is growing compared with last year,” says Gert Nielsen.

The company also participates in European development projects, where BSS Komodo is helping to shape a European standard for counter-drone systems, allowing companies in different countries to provide solutions to various European defence forces.

The company’s main focus now is to continue development and gain a strong foothold in the market.

“The next step is to kick-start sales by seizing the opportunities we see in the market,” says Gert Nielsen.

For more information about BSS' C-UAS solution, visit: BSS Komodo - Counter UAS