Counter-drone operations are no longer confined to land-based environments. With drones increasingly operating around warships, ports and offshore energy infrastructure, there is now also a need for detection and jamming systems in the maritime domain. Cerbair is looking to expand its presence in this market, building on systems already in production for land-based applications.

One of the main new developments being showcased at Euronaval is the naval version of Cerbair’s Hydra 300 drone detection system. Rather than developing an entirely new detector, the company has adapted an existing model already in series production, giving it a significant industrial advantage.
“Sensors adapted for naval use typically require dedicated production lines, involving very high costs and equally long lead times. In our case, we can respond to a new requirement within just weeks or months,” explains Charlie Pinedo, Cerbair’s Chief Product and Strategy Officer.

The modifications mainly concern the system’s ability to withstand the marine environment, particularly in terms of mechanical robustness and corrosion resistance. The electronics, however, remain unchanged. Cerbair had already taken account of the specific electromagnetic constraints aboard warships when designing the land-based version, working in particular with experts from Naval Group.

This approach also allows the company to retain the support infrastructure established for the production volumes of its land-based systems, helping to keep the costs and lead times associated with the naval version down.