Multiple press reports say that London Southend Airport has become the first UK airport to carry out trials of a drone-surveillance system. At the start of May the airport embarked on a week-long trial to demonstrate and test the ability of the IPS-METIS SKYPERION to monitor, detect, track and record the activity of drones.
SKYPERION has been designed, according to its manufacturers, as “a multi sensor – counter UAV solution that can provide the operator timely, high confidence actionable understanding of UAV activity. The range of sensors and their detection techniques ensure a high probability of interception across a wide range of targets, whether they are UAVs or other possible threats to the area to be protected…SKYPERION software interface provides a simple to operate user interface that integrates the sensors deployed into a single solution. ”
A number of cooperative drones were deployed near the airport to test how the equipment – involving two airfield sensors offering 360-degree coverage up to 4kms – performed. Glyn Jones, Chief Executive Officer of Stobart Aviation, owners of London Southend Airport, was reported as saying: “When we heard about the potential benefits of this new technology for the whole aviation industry we were only too pleased for London Southend to lead the way and help in trialling it. We are delighted this week has been a success and look forward to seeing where this project goes next.”
