Revolutionary Drone Technology: AI Sensor Detects Artillery Fire by Sound

The German company Quantum Systems, known for its advanced surveillance drones, is developing an innovative acoustic sensor aimed at enhancing the capabilities of reconnaissance drones in pinpointing and identifying artillery and mortar fire. According to a report from Hartpunkt, this sensor utilizes sound measurements, with artificial intelligence (AI) analyzing the acoustic signatures to determine the type of fire originating from enemy positions.

The sensor, designed by Weles Acoustics--a subsidiary of Quantum Systems--has a compact design, roughly the size of a finger, and weighs just a few grams. It can be integrated into the military reconnaissance drones offered by Quantum Systems, with trials currently taking place using the Twister drone model.

This acoustic sensor is capable of detecting enemy artillery and mortar fire and can determine the direction from which the fire is coming, functioning effectively up to a distance of 15 kilometers. Upon receiving this data, the drone's camera is automatically adjusted to align with the identified enemy position, achieving an impressive accuracy of 5 degrees over a range of 5 kilometers. This automated targeting represents a significant improvement over the previous manual alignment methods employed by operators.

Additionally, the AI component of the sensor will analyze the sound signatures, allowing for a distinction between artillery and mortar fire. This differentiation is crucial for determining appropriate countermeasures against enemy positions.

The integration of this sensor system into reconnaissance drones is expected to enhance the response accuracy of mobile military units to artillery and mortar threats. Furthermore, by deploying smaller drones like the Twister, military forces can expand their sensory networks, providing artillery units with the capability to engage enemy positions with greater precision.