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On July 27, 2016, Airbus DS Electronics and Border Security (EBS) and Dedrone announced a cooperation agreement to combine Airbus’s radar, data-fusion and electronic-jamming capabilities with Dedrone’s short-range, multisensor drone-detection technology. The proposed system was aimed at unauthorized small drones near airports, major events and critical infrastructure. It was a partnership announcement and projected capability—not proof of universal deployment or an independently verified 10-kilometer drone-defeat system.
What Airbus EBS and Dedrone announced
The companies announced the agreement from Munich and San Francisco. Their objective was to jointly offer counter-UAV systems that could detect and, where authorized, counter small drones in urban and rural settings. The release identified airports, stadiums, prisons, government facilities, industrial sites, major events and other critical infrastructure as relevant environments.
Airbus EBS and Dedrone did not announce a merger or acquisition. Nor did they name a specific airport or government customer using the complete configuration. The original announcement described a technology cooperation, testing and an expected operational system from the end of 2016, depending on configuration. Dedrone’s July 27, 2016 announcement is the primary source for those claims.
Why small drones were treated as a security problem
Airbus and Dedrone said inexpensive, commercially available drones were creating a lower-airspace security gap around sensitive sites and public gatherings. They cited possible smuggling, espionage, terrorist attacks, unauthorized surveillance and disruption of airport or event operations.
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Those categories were the companies’ stated concerns, not a quantified independent threat assessment. The release supplied no incident totals, probability estimates or formal risk model. A site operator would still need its own threat assessment based on local airspace, likely drone types, response authority and consequences of an intrusion.
What each partner contributed
| Partner | Capabilities described in the announcement | Role in the proposed architecture |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus DS Electronics and Border Security | Long-range radar, electronic countermeasures, Smart Responsive Jamming, data fusion and signal analysis | Longer-range sensing, fusion and electronic mitigation |
| Dedrone | DroneTracker hardware and software, optical cameras, acoustic and ultrasonic sensing, frequency scanning, control-signal detection and drone-signature analysis | Short-range detection, classification and alerts to security personnel |
The logic was complementary: use Airbus systems to extend sensing and provide mitigation, while Dedrone supplied a multisensor layer intended to recognize and classify nearby drones.
How the proposed counter-UAV kill chain worked
1. Detection
Cameras, radar, microphones, directional scanners and radio-frequency sensors were intended to identify possible drone activity. Each modality has different strengths: radar can track movement, cameras can provide visual confirmation, acoustic sensors listen for characteristic sounds, and RF sensors look for detectable control links.
2. Classification and fusion
The system was described as combining sensor data and comparing it with a database of drone patterns and signatures. Fusion can raise confidence over a single sensor, but it does not eliminate false alarms. Birds, aircraft, machinery, reflections, urban noise and unrelated radio transmissions can challenge individual sensors.
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3. Control-link analysis
Where a drone’s radio link was detectable, the system could analyze the control signal in real time. The release also said the system could help determine the pilot’s location for investigation. That capability depends on signal conditions, the drone’s design and the surrounding environment; it should not be read as a guarantee of exact pilot geolocation.
4. Threat assessment
Operators—or an authorized automated workflow—would decide whether a track represented an unauthorized or dangerous intrusion. The announcement referred to automatic initiation of countermeasures, but actual rules of engagement depend on the customer, jurisdiction, site and authorization.
5. Electronic mitigation
When connected to a jammer, the system was said to be able to interrupt communications between a drone and its pilot and disturb navigation. A radio-controlled aircraft may respond differently from a preprogrammed or autonomous one. Jamming a control link is therefore not equivalent to defeating every drone.
6. Investigation and response
Alerts, track data and possible pilot-location information could support security personnel or law-enforcement follow-up. The announcement did not describe a kinetic interceptor, capture net or other physical defeat method.
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- PRECISE REMOTE ID STREAMING Supports Remote ID reception to capture both drone location and operator coordinates (when available). Connects directly to mobile apps for easy situational context.
- EASY SETUP + DAILY USE Portable and simple to deploy — just power and place. Ideal for both fixed site monitoring or traveling missions. Works with recommended companion apps for visual tracking.
- Backed by a Veteran-Owned U.S. Company: Trusted by teams across the country looking for affordable, effective counter-drone solutions without the complexity.
What “Smart Responsive Jamming” meant
Airbus described Smart Responsive Jamming as targeting the frequencies used to operate the drone while leaving nearby frequencies operational. The intended benefit was less collateral interference than indiscriminate broadband jamming.
This was a product claim, not independent proof that adjacent channels, airport radios or navigation systems would never be affected. The release provided no measurements for adjacent-channel leakage, aviation compatibility, navigation effects or performance against autonomous aircraft. Jamming can also be restricted or prohibited without specific government authority, so technical capability does not establish permission to use it.
Understanding the range claims
| Figure | What the source said | What it does not establish |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 10 km | Combined sensors could cover up to 10 kilometers, depending on configuration and sensor type. | It is not a guaranteed detection, identification, tracking or jamming distance for every drone. |
| Up to 1 km | Dedrone DroneTracker was described as detecting drones within a radius of up to 1 kilometer. | It is not the effective range of every sensor or of the jammer. |
| Later Xpeller descriptions | Ranges varied from a few hundred meters to several kilometers by drone type and configuration. | Later configurations should not be assumed identical to the 2016 proposal. |
Sensor range, reliable classification range, control-link detection range and effective jamming range are separate engineering measurements. Terrain, buildings, antenna placement, RF congestion, drone size and whether a control link exists can change each one.
Testing and projected availability
The 2016 release said the system had been tested at an Airbus Defence and Space facility and demonstrated to customers in Germany and France. It projected an operational system from the end of 2016, depending on configuration. Those statements indicate testing and planned availability; they do not document a named airport or broad operational rollout.
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How the work related to Xpeller and HENSOLDT
Airbus EBS was expected to move under the HENSOLDT brand after Airbus Group’s planned sale of a majority stake to KKR. In early 2017, Airbus EBS described an expanded counter-UAV family under the Xpeller name, including partner technologies and a portable jammer. Aviation Week’s January 2017 report provides that product-development context.
Later HENSOLDT material identifies Xpeller as a HENSOLDT counter-UAV system. The relationship is best understood as product-line evolution: the Airbus-Dedrone cooperation was an early layered architecture, while subsequent Xpeller configurations could include additional sensors, partners and hardware. It would be inaccurate to treat every later Xpeller system as identical to the 2016 proposal. HENSOLDT’s 2021 annual-report material supplies the later corporate context.
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Autonomous or radio-silent drones
A drone flying a preprogrammed route may not depend on an active pilot link. Jamming can be less useful in that case, making radar, optical confirmation, behavioral analysis or other mitigation necessary. Current Dedrone materials distinguish RF detection from configurations that add radar and cameras for autonomous threats.
Unknown or modified airframes
A signature library helps with known models, but homemade, modified or unfamiliar drones may require visual, radar, behavioral or manual analysis. No source supports a claim that the system identified every model reliably.
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Urban, airport and weather conditions
Buildings can create RF reflections and narrow lines of sight; traffic and machinery can overwhelm acoustic sensors; dense radio use can complicate frequency analysis. Optical performance depends on lighting, visibility and camera placement. Radar and RF sensing may help in conditions that challenge cameras or microphones, but the announcement did not publish a complete all-weather performance envelope.
False positives and automatic response
Multisensor fusion can improve confidence without guaranteeing zero false alarms. A responsible deployment needs positive-identification thresholds, human override, evidence logging, escalation procedures and defined no-jam zones. Airports require particularly cautious coordination because countermeasures could affect legitimate aircraft, communications or navigation.
Detection-only versus detect-and-defeat systems
| Approach | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Detection and tracking only | Alerts teams, supports evidence collection and pilot investigation, and avoids electronic-interference risks. | Does not directly stop the aircraft; staff must use lawful physical or procedural responses. |
| Detection plus electronic mitigation | Can respond to a radio-controlled drone more directly and may reduce response time. | Requires authority, creates interference and rules-of-engagement issues, can affect legitimate drones and adds integration cost. |
Site design also depends on protected radius, terrain, simultaneous tracks, fixed or mobile deployment, nighttime requirements, command-center integration and whether a human must authorize mitigation.
What exists today
Dedrone’s current portfolio is broader than the 2016 DroneTracker-era concept. Its official materials list DedroneTracker.AI, DedroneFixedSite, DedroneRapidResponse, DedronePortable, DedroneOnTheMove, DedroneDefender 2 and other detection-and-mitigation products. The company presents these as professional systems rather than consumer products. See Dedrone’s solutions page and government and military offerings.
Dedrone does not publish a standard online price list on its reviewed sales pages. Pricing is quote-based and can vary with sensor count, radar and camera requirements, fixed or mobile deployment, jammer inclusion, installation, integration, training and support. Buyers are directed to request a professional demonstration.
Legal and operational reality
Neither the 2016 announcement nor a technical specification gives a private operator automatic authority to jam. Rules differ by country, agency, spectrum authorization, aviation regulation and site type. Airports, prisons, public events and private facilities should obtain legal advice and coordinate with aviation and public-safety authorities before considering mitigation.
The Bottom Line
The Airbus EBS–Dedrone agreement was an important 2016 example of layered counter-UAS design: Airbus brought long-range sensing and jamming, while Dedrone added multisensor detection and classification. Its “up to 10 km” figure, automatic-response language and pilot-location claim were supplier statements, not independent proof of universal performance or widespread deployment. The partnership’s later relevance is best seen through the evolving HENSOLDT/Xpeller family, not as a current Airbus-branded product.
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