Autonomous systems experts from the University of South Australia (UniSA), Flinders University and defence company Midspar Systems say that trials using bio-inspired signal-processing techniques show up to a 50 per cent better detection rate than existing methods. The findings could help combat the growing global threat posed by IED-carrying drones, including in Ukraine.
Anthony Finn, UniSA professor of autonomous systems, said that insect vision systems have been mapped for some time now to improve camera-based detections, but this is the first time that bio-vision has been applied to acoustic data.
“Bio-vision processing has been shown to greatly increase the detection range of drones in both visual and infrared data. However, we have now shown we can pick up clear and crisp acoustic signatures of drones, including very small and quiet ones, using an algorithm based on the hoverfly’s visual system,” Finn said.
The hoverfly’s superior visual and tracking...