MATRICs semiconductors to sense UAS comms signals
NewsMarch 13, 2020
ARLINGTON, Va. BAE Systems demonstrated new, small-form-factor semiconductor technology designed to sense radio frequency (RF) and communication signals in congested and contested battle environments in conjunction with an unmanned aerial system (UAS). The Hedgehog technology is a collection of general-purpose, reconfigurable MATRICs chips in a software-defined radio (SDR) system.
The Hedgehog demonstration was in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Distributed RF Analysis and Geolocation on Networked System (DRAGONS) research. The DRAGONS program is designed to deliver a drone-integrated, small form factor signal identification and geolocation capability.
The demonstration highlighted the ability for forward operators to deploy technology to secure tactical signals intelligence and geolocation data in near real-time with low size, weight, and power requirements. According to the company, the technology is designed to provide agility, broad frequency range, and high instantaneous bandwidth.
Hedgehog is backed by BAE Systems' MATRICs chips, which can be integrated into a variety of systems to help address future requirements of electronic warfare, communications, and signal intelligence systems.
