Fortem Technologies TrueView R20

The TrueView R20 from Fortem Technologies (USA) is a compact 3D radar with an electronically steered beam for detecting and tracking small drones. It serves as the sensor layer of the Fortem SkyDome system and as the onboard sensor of the DroneHunter F700 interceptor system. It can be used stationary or portable; the manufacturer names critical infrastructure, stadiums and military use as fields of use.

As a 3D radar the R20 reports range, bearing and height of a target. According to Fortem the angular accuracy is ±2 degrees in azimuth and elevation, so the position error relative to the drone grows with distance. According to the product page the R20 weighs less than 7 kg and draws just 38 W at full load, which eases portable and battery operation. As with any radar, detection range depends on the radar cross section of the drone: a small quadcopter appears later than a larger drone.

Radars transmit too: in Germany every use of a frequency needs an assignment from the Bundesnetzagentur (Section 91(1) TKG). How frequency use is regulated in Poland has to be clarified with the competent authorities before deployment. In and around stadiums, many other radio services are usually active. The radar detects and tracks; jammers may be operated only by authorities in Germany and Poland (Section 91 TKG, Article 42 of the Polish Electronic Communications Law).

In selection it matters which system the radar works in: as a SkyDome sensor it supplies the tracks that other layers, such as cameras and RF detectors, classify. The angular accuracy of ±2 degrees decides how well a target cue can be handed to a camera. The range figure for one’s own target size has to be requested from the manufacturer with its radar-cross-section reference. With no rotating antenna there is no drive wear; mount, connectors, batteries in mobile use and firmware need checking.