FLIR Systems [FLIR] on Wednesday said it has acquired the intellectual property and assets of Aria Insights, Inc., which made tethered drones for intelligence and surveillance, and communications applications before going out of business earlier this year.
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Aria, which was previously known as CyPhy Works, Inc., and was founded by iRobot [IRBT] co-founder Helen Greiner, developed and produced the Persistent Aerial Reconnaissance and Communications (PARC) tethered drone platform that can be equipped with different payloads. The tether is a patented microfilament for secure communications and power to ensure continuous flight that can last for days while keeping the system anchored to a base station or vehicle to prevent fly-aways and drifting.
For FLIR, the deal adds to its line of unmanned systems products and capabilities that it has established through several earlier acquisitions. The company acquired nano-unmanned aircraft system (UAS) maker Prox Dynamics in 2016 and earlier this year acquired small UAS manufacturer Aeryon Labs followed by Endeavor Robotics, which at one time had been the defense business of iRobot.
Endeavor Robotics makes unmanned ground vehicles.
“Tethered UAS systems are becoming an increasingly valuable tool for force protection, border security, and critical infrastructure protection,” David Ray, president of FLIR’s Government and Defense business, said in a statement. “Aria’s innovative technology and IP assets will enable us to enhance current capabilities and advance the range of solutions we can deliver to customers in this growing market segment.”
FLIR said that Aria’s assets will be integrated into its Unmanned Systems and Integrated Solutions Division.
Aria doesn’t have any existing customers and its employees were let go in March when the company ceased operations so no new employees will be joining FLIR, a FLIR spokesman told
Defense Daily.
The initial focus of Aria’s technology will be on the government and defense markets, the spokesman said, adding that tethered UAS also have capabilities to offer for law enforcement, fire services, industrial security, telecommunications and environmental monitoring.
On the Aria website, which was still up as of Wednesday morning, it says PARC is fully operational, can be deployed rapidly, is all-weather capable, can operate in high winds, and has a 400-foot maximum altitude. Payloads include electro-optic and infrared, and 360-degree Omnicam, radio and communications, and specialty sensors such as radar for drone detection, chemical detection, collection, and LIDAR.