The threats to ground based static or mobile assets presented by airborne targets and in particular, drones are varied. They can range from benign hobbyists accidentally flying in the wrong airspace to state-actors intent on causing national disruption. Capable Counter Drone systems need to provide protection against all threats, including those which have been heavily modified to overcome conventional sensing technology.
At QinetiQ, we have been researching aerial threats and developing Counter Drone capability for more than a decade. Critically, we believe that radar is the most threat-agnostic drone sensor, requiring no specific communications signals to intercept, and requiring no threat library maintenance, which can reduce system effectiveness between updates. Radar is also a reliable technology against non-standard drones which are unlikely to be included in threat libraries, as well as non-transmitting targets such as parachutes and paragliders.
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Airfields are complex, target rich environments. With decades of experience supporting the UK MOD across aircraft operations, test & evaluation ranges, and drone development, QinetiQ delivers site specific Counter Drone solutions built for demanding airfield settings.
Obsidian enhances radar detection with multi sensor technology, including powerful day/night cameras for rapid visual confirmation of suspicious payloads.
Its staring radar technology tracks more than 100 targets at once, distinguishing drones from birds with AI enabled classification. Cameras automatically slew to threats for fast identification in busy control rooms.
Paired Obsidian radars create a 360° by 90° protective bubble with a 3.5 km range—extendable across multiple locations through a unified network interface. Automated alerts reduce operator burden.
Obsidian’s mobile capability enables deployment to reported disruption areas, delivering detection and tracking from either static or moving vehicles.
Military personnel and assets face heightened risks from drone borne IEDs and low probability of intercept surveillance. Obsidian provides the early warning and situational awareness needed to respond.
The system simultaneously detects and tracks over 100 airborne targets. AI supports rapid target characterisation to identify threats early.
Obsidian integrates seamlessly with leading effector systems to trigger defensive actions when required.
Ideal for convoy protection, rapid response, and temporary protection of deployed forces, Obsidian provides full aerial situational awareness from mobile platforms.
Critical National Infrastructure sites face increasing drone enabled security risks. Traditional perimeter security is no longer enough.
Obsidian delivers unparalleled 3D accuracy and rapid updates across multiple simultaneous threats, including drones, paragliders, and parachutes. Its high elevation coverage ensures complete overhead protection with 24/7 autonomous monitoring.
Precise radar data supports cost effective integration with defensive technologies, tailored to specific environments and legal frameworks.
Obsidian’s mobile capability allows rapid deployment to areas of concern, maintaining full detection and tracking whether stationary or in motion.
High profile individuals are increasingly vulnerable to intrusive drone activity. Obsidian helps protect privacy across land, sea, and residential environments.
Its advanced 3D tracking and multi sensor capabilities detect multiple aerial threats simultaneously, with autonomous monitoring that reduces cost of ownership and ensures constant protection.
Obsidian provides the accuracy needed to avoid unwanted surveillance or cue defensive technologies.
Whether protecting large estates, yachts, or vehicles, Obsidian delivers comprehensive threat awareness even while in motion.
Our customers deliver a diverse range of businesses, their operational imperatives differ, and the nature of the drone threats that they’re likely to encounter can vary widely – in short, no two customer requirements are identical. As a result, it’s becoming widely acknowledged in the Counter-Drone market that there is no ‘silver-bullet’ solution from a single vendor. Rather, solution providers such as QinetiQ increasingly need to draw from a wider range of matured and commercially available equipment and services to provide comprehensive robust solutions for our customers.
QinetiQ are ideally placed to develop highly capable mission-critical solutions for our customers. We deliver research & development, advice/consultancy, solutions and services to our global defence, security and civil customers. We are uniquely able to draw upon an extensive knowledge and experience base across the entire Counter-Drone space, covering; open architecture command and control systems, active (radar) and passive (Electronic Warfare) RF systems design, imagery analysis and artificial intelligence, and RF directed energy. Drawing upon our breadth and depth of experience, we work with our customers closely to develop customer-led solutions which are fit for purpose, robust, and supported.
A core Obsidian Counter Drone system will give 360 Degrees of protection, 3.5km in all directions, including directly above. The standard package contains 2x 180 Degree Radars, Tracker, PTZ camera (Different options are available) and the Command and Control interface with two screens for the operator. You will need an elevated stable position to mount the radars, with clear line of sight in all directions. For mobile applications we’ll work with you to ensure our solution meets your needs. We typically work with our customers to understand their specific site/platform requirements and are able to cost-effectively tailor and add to the above to meet specific requirements.
QinetiQ's Obsidian Radar was developed following a comprehensive threat analysis research programme, and has therefore been designed from the ground up with Drone detection as its primary use. This means it’s been optimised for detection and identification of small moving objects in 3D space. Obsidian transmits on a frequency which is especially optimised for detecting the signature created by small motors and rotor blades on drones. This capability does not exclude the ability to set up Obsidian to detect a variety of other targets with different radar cross sections. Use the Contact Us form to the right of this page to talk to us about your specific use case.
Obsidian’s range is now 3.5km and system performance can be further extended through integration of additional sensors, including supplementary radars or RF sensing and Direction Finding techniques. Obsidian also provides its 3.5km range in all directions, supporting aerial threat tracking above the altitudes conventional longer-range 2D radar systems offer.
Conventionally, classification of small flying objects at longer distances can be challenging, and can often result in high false alarm rates - alarms from every airborne target over a 20 square km of airspace doesn't typically deliver customer satisfaction. The Obsidian system uses a combination of sensors and advanced techniques (such as the 'micro-Doppler' signature of spinning propeller blades) to detect and classify Drones. The Obsidian Radar is augmented with Artificial Intelligence techniques applied to the live video feed to provide precise target classification. In addition, information from RF sensors can also be overlaid.
Obsidian Radar doesn't have a spinning antenna, or electronically scanning beams, it uses a large array (80+) of static antenna beams to create a 'protective bubble' around your location, 360 Degrees around by 90 Degrees vertically. This provides far greater ability to detect and track small objects, prevents drones from flying 'over the radar' (as with 2D single-beam radars), and delivers more continuous radio frequency energy on the threat which allows greater target discrimination than fleeting scanning beams.
Obsidian has been developed to detect and track both conventional consumer drones which are available on the high street (such as those from DJI) as well as non-conventional, home-made drones. It doesn’t need a library to detect targets, just the physical presence of the target. Detection limits vary with drone type - the general rule is, the larger the drone the further away it will be detected.
Yes, Obsidian can be used over water. Obsidian is a Doppler radar system which makes measurements by means of detecting Doppler changes when an object moves. Our staring beam technology is comprised of 80+ beams per radar, allowing us to isolate sea clutter in our lower beams only without adversely affecting performance against air targets.
Obsidian is an unmanned system which works 24/7/365 and will only warn you of a threat when certain criteria are met, at which point its camera will be automatically trained on and track the target. This allows rapid threat conformation without operator intervention with the system, and appropriate action to be taken immediately. Many competing systems require manual intervention to track threats, raising cost of ownership through the need to man the system.
The Obsidian radar is a relatively small device which can easily be mounted on a roof, a large vehicle or a small mast. Its small size means it can be mounted on a building, vehicle or ship with little impact to the aesthetic of the structure.