Estonia is equipping frontline troops with a portable drone-based signals intelligence (SIGINT) capability designed to detect hostile electronic emitters beyond the reach of ground-based sensors.
The solution paired Sky Spy’s SkyAgent 001 SIGINT payload with Orqa’s lightweight MRM2-10 first-person view (FPV) drone.
During a simulated electromagnetic attack, the system successfully identified emitters across the exercise area, validating the use of airborne radio frequency (RF) sensing to extend battlefield detection.
“As a company with roots in Estonia, this exercise … demonstrates the operational relevance of our technology for allied armed forces and shows how lightweight UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) can become part of a wider spectrum intelligence network,” said Arsenii Hurtavtsov, chief executive of Sky Spy.
“Seeing our system enhance spectrum awareness for Estonian Defence Forces units reinforces our mission to develop interoperable SIGINT systems that can operate across platforms and domains.”
Solving Ground Sensor Gaps
The initiative addresses the limitations of ground-based sensors, whose detection range can be restricted by terrain, while legacy SIGINT systems often lack the mobility needed for fast-moving operations.
By mounting RF sensing equipment on a drone, the companies aim to improve detection of battlefield emitters, including radars, jammers, UAV control stations, and other electronic signatures.
The trial, conducted with Estonia’s 131st Infantry Battalion during the Spring Storm exercise involving more than 12,000 NATO personnel from over 20 nations, demonstrated how lightweight drones can expand electronic intelligence coverage in contested environments.
“Working in partnership with Sky Spy, we’ve shown that combining passive RF sensing with our lightweight UAVs is a practical solution to the challenge of gathering intelligence in hostile electromagnetic environments,” said Srdjan Kovacevic, co-founder and chief executive officer of Orqa.
