Could military units soon manage counter-drone operations without heavy reliance on specialists? Roke suggests this may be possible.
The Hampshire-based firm has officially made its “Cortexa Guardian” available to the market, offering a configurable solution to detect, track, and identify multiple aerial threats.
The system is intended to be operable by any soldier within days, reducing the months of specialist training traditionally required for counter-drone operations.
It achieves this by consolidating sensing, tracking, and tactical drone defense functions into a simplified, intuitive interface.
Cortexa Guardian is built to present only actionable information to users, reducing cognitive load and freeing them up for other primary tasks.
The software interface can run on standard devices, including laptops, tablets, and mobile phones, and is also accessible via web browser.
Its simplicity extends to physical deployment, with the solution designed to mount on commercial camera tripods instead of military masts, which also eliminates the need for special hardware.
Cortexa in Action
Users can enhance Cortexa Guardian with additional sensor nodes that can gather more information from incoming drone threats.
When paired with Roke’s AI-powered RapidEO system, data obtained from all its sensors can be merged to generate a consolidated view of the airspace.
The system can classify up to 10 targets simultaneously and track as many as 20 drones, supported by radar components that provide 360-degree coverage day and night.
Designed for rapid deployment, the full system can be set up in around eight minutes, depending on configuration.
System Availability
Cortexa Guardian is available to government agencies including defense and public safety partners across NATO and Northern Europe.
Roke has also opened access to organizations involved in military, border security, and public safety operations for evaluation and testing.
Originally unveiled at the Defence and Security Equipment International event in London, the system was officially launched at the Counter-UAS (unmanned aerial systems) Forum in the UK.
“[Drones] are among the most disruptive threats facing defense and security forces today. Countering them effectively requires capability that can be integrated rapidly … and used by the people who need it most, not just specialists,” said Roke Managing Director Marc Overton.
“CORTEXA GUARDIAN was developed to meet that requirement. It reflects close collaboration with military partners and a clear focus on operational reality.”
