The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology (S&T) Directorate plans to host a demonstration of counter-drone technologies next spring in Texas near the border with Mexico.
S&T’s National Urban Security Technology Laboratory this week issued a request for information for commercially available systems that include a radar to detect small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS)—Group 1 and 2 drones—and then prompt a pan-tilt-zoom electro-optical/infrared camera to verify, identify, classify, and track the drones.
DHS said in a notice on Thursday that the demonstration in spring 2024 will also include multiple federal agencies and international partners. The testing will take place at Eagle Pass, Texas, and DHS said it will provide details about the demonstration to selected vendors.
In addition to the sensor technologies, DHS will assess the C-UAS command and control system and the level of sensor integration. Responses to the information request are due by Jan. 16, 2024.
The demonstration will be done under the C-UAS Capability Optimization Research Environment, which is a cooperative effort between the U.S. and United Kingdom to test C-UAS technology in different operational environments. DHS S&T has previously evaluated UAS detect, track, and identification technologies in mountain, plains, urban, and maritime environments.
Drug traffickers use small drones to smuggle drugs and other contraband across the southern U.S. border.