MyDefence WATCHDOG 150

The WATCHDOG 150 from MyDefence (Denmark) is a vehicle-mounted passive RF drone detector with all-round reception. It receives the radio links of drones from all directions and reports them. The manufacturer names military use and police as fields of use; the device is designed for installation on vehicles.

The detection range is up to 3 km, with 360 degrees of coverage and a weight of 1.9 kg. The value is a manufacturer claim under favourable conditions: as with any passive detector it depends on the drone’s transmit power, the terrain and the radio environment. On a moving vehicle the line of sight changes constantly, so range varies with location. All-round reception means receiving from all directions; the direction of a signal comes only from a bearing or from several sensors working together.

The detector does not transmit and does not interfere with the drone’s radio link. Whether and how receiving and evaluating third-party radio signals is permitted (secrecy of telecommunications, data protection) has to be clarified for Germany and Poland before use. Jammers, by contrast, may be operated only by authorities in Germany and Poland (Section 91 TKG, Article 42 of the Polish Electronic Communications Law).

In selection the installation on the vehicle counts: the antenna belongs on a clear surface, away from vehicle radios and on-board electronics that can disturb reception. At 1.9 kg, mount and cables have to be secured for driving, since vibration and weather stress the connectors. The receive range should cover 2.4 and 5.8 GHz as well as 868 and 915 MHz. The signature library needs upkeep; drones that do not transmit stay invisible.