Danish defense firm Terma has unveiled a new 3D radar designed to tackle a persistent challenge in modern air defense: spotting tiny drones that don’t want to be seen.
Named SCANTER Sphera, the system uses built-in artificial intelligence (AI) to help track low-signature drones often mistaken for birds, including those flying solo or as part of a swarm.
Housed in a compact, rugged shell, the radar runs on a software-defined architecture that supports rapid updates, keeping it adaptable to emerging threats without the need for major overhauls.
It is also engineered to withstand jamming, harsh weather, and extended operation with minimal maintenance.
The Sphera builds on Terma’s earlier SCANTER 5000 and 6000 series, with CEO Henriette Hallberg Thygesen describing it as “just the beginning” of the company’s push into counter-drone technology.
Smarter Threat Spotting
Unlike older systems that rely mostly on size or shape, SCANTER Sphera uses an AI engine to analyze how objects behave in the air.
That includes detecting what’s known as micro-Doppler signatures, or tiny shifts in radar signals caused by movement, like the spin of a drone’s propellers or its flight rhythm.
This added behavioral layer helps the system separate real threats from noise, especially when dealing with Group 1 drones — the Pentagon’s smallest class of unmanned aerial systems, weighing under 20 pounds (9 kilograms).
According to Terma, the system offers up to 50 percent longer detection range than comparable radars, giving operators more time to react and reducing unnecessary responses to non-threats.
Designed with complex environments in mind, the radar is pitched for use around coastlines, power plants, military airfields, and other places where visibility is limited and distractions are high.
“Our customers need faster classification, wider coverage, and dependable performance in any environment,” said Thomas Blom, senior vice president of surveillance and mission systems at Terma.
“SCANTER Sphera is built for precisely that — giving operators the time and insight to make the right decisions when seconds count.”
