Terrorism Office Evaluating AeroVironment Tethered UAS for Security Applications
The U.S. Combating Terrorism Technical Support Office (CTTSO) is evaluating AeroVironment’s [AVAV] new Tether Eye tethered unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for intelligence, surveillance reconnaissance and security applications. Tether Eye is designed to provide continuous, 24-hour surveillance at up to 150 feet above its launch point and provides viewers a video-feed with a 360-degree field of view. The ruggedized tether connecting the UAS to its ground station provides continuous power, which the company says enables uninterrupted long-term operation. Payloads include electro-optical and infrared cameras and the company’s encrypted Digital Data Link. “Having the ability to deploy a ‘virtual observation tower’ at a moment’s notice above buildings and vehicles represents a game-changing capability for ISR and security operations that has the potential to save lives,” says Amanda Toman, program manager at the CTTSO. “We look forward to continuing our evaluation of Tether Eye’s capabilities with AeroVironment as a possible deployable capability across government facilities.”
FBI Certifies AMREL’s Biometric Tablet
AMREL says the FBI has certified its latest Android rugged biometric tablet, the Flexpoint AT80B, meaning it is in compliance with the bureau’s Criminal Justice Information Services division’s Next Generation Identification (NGI) System image quality specifications. “It meets or exceeds the criteria for single and dual finger flat and rolled print, which means it can access the FBI’s NGI database,” says Richard Lane, AMREL’s vice president of Strategic Business Development. AMREL developed the AT80B in cooperation with Integrated Biometrics, which provides the Sherlock light emitting sensor module for fingerprint capture. AMREL says the tablet has customization capabilities that include integrating a smart card reader. The company is considering adding an iris camera.
KEYW Agrees to Sell Last Commercial Cyber Security Product Line
KEYW Corp. [KEYW] has agreed to sell the remaining product line of its commercial cyber security business, Hexis Cyber Solutions, to an undisclosed private equity firm. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. KEYW says its Hexis HawkEye G product line business is being acquired by a private equity backed, established strategic buyer in the security technology industry. The sale is expected to close in the coming weeks, the company says. Late in 2015 KEYW began a strategic review of its commercial cyber solutions business, which it stood up in the fall of 2013. Early in May, KEYW disclosed that had sold the Hexis HawkEye AP product line business to Ignite Technologies’ Ignite Analytics business. That deal closed on May 2. KEYW says the combined deal value of the HawkEye AP and HawkEye G sales is about $20 million in cash and purchaser stock. HawkEye AP is an open and scalable data analytics platform for security information and event management and event data warehousing. Ignite, which is part of the ESW Capital family of companies, says it is rebranding the product as SenSage AP. KEYW acquired SenSage in 2012.