Ukrainian company unveils Aero Azimuth, new aerostat-based drone operator detection system

At an event "Protect a Warrior from a Drone," a Ukrainian company has introduced Aero Azimuth, an air-based version of its electronic reconnaissance system, Azimuth, mounted on an aerostat, to detect enemy drone operators, according to a report by Militarnyi on 1 September. The drone operators are the most critical and costly "component" of drone operations.

The Ukrainian frontlines are heavily saturated with drones from both sides, used for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and target acquisition. Cheap one-way attack FPV drones target military equipment, vehicles, and soldiers. Russia also uses drones for laser targeting. Drone crews are high-priority targets, with Ukraine often using valuable HIMARS-launched GMLRS rockets to eliminate Russian operators.

Developed by the Ukrainian defense manufacturer Kvertus, Aero Azimuth is designed to identify the locations of enemy drone operators rather than targeting the drones themselves. The system's primary advantage lies in its ability to detect radio emissions from up to 60 kilometers away and triangulate the location of the source at distances of 24 to 30 kilometers.

ukrainian company unveils aero azimuth new aerostat-based drone detection system illustrative aerobavovna aerostat militarnyi aerostat_1_ilyustratsiya-scaled — Illustrative photo of an Aerobavovna company aerostat. Photo: Militarnyi.

According to Militarnyi, Aero Azimuth is positioned approximately nine kilometers from the front lines and is mounted on an aerostat produced by Aerobavovna, a Ukrainian company. The aerostat can remain airborne for up to seven days without refueling and can withstand wind speeds of up to 15 meters per second. The system operates at altitudes ranging from 300 to 700 meters, making it challenging to detect using optical reconnaissance methods. Related: