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Melbourne-based high-power laser start-up AIM Defence has taken first place at the International Counter Drone Sandbox in Canada, netting a $1 million prize.
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AIM Defence’s Fractl:1 Tactical Directed Energy Laser took out the million-dollar prize at the International Counter Drone Sandbox competition, conducted as part of the Canadian Armed Forces’ Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)’ program.
The program has run biannually for the last six years and is internationally regarded as an independent assessment of counter-drone capabilities for both NATO and Five Eyes allies.
Taking the win cements AIM’s position at the forefront of low-cost and compact tactical counter-drone systems and comes just months after the Australian government’s $5.4 million announcement to purchase a Fractl counter-drone system for internal test and evaluation.
Reflecting the proliferation and growing concern of weaponised drones, the 2024 sandbox competition focused on the effective detection and defeat of quadcopter, FPV, and fixed wing targets. AIM Defence was one of 15 companies selected to show off their technology at the event with other participants, including industry giants from Canada, the US, and the UK.
“We’re extremely thankful to the Canadian government for giving us this opportunity and to their red team who really put our system to the test with a range of drones that we’d never seen before from FPVs to fixed wings across a range of scenarios. It was a challenging event and we’re proud to have come out on top,” said AIM co-founder Jessica Glenn.
The Fractl system uses in-house developed state-of-the-art artificial intelligence tracking and ultra-compact laser technology and has integrated with US Space Force to safely engage above the horizon.
During the event, Fractl was able to track and neutralise drones at up to 1.5 kilometres away and successfully shot down over 30 targets during the exercise.
The Canadian evaluation team judged that the AIM Fractl system best met sandbox prize criteria for demonstrated performance, continuous improvement, and significant follow-on interest from the Department of National Defence and Canadian Armed Forces in AIM’s Fractl CUAS approach.
“While we are immensely proud of our achievements to date, we’re just getting started. We’ve seen a significant uptick in demand for effective counter-drone technologies and plan to reinvest the winnings back into AIM so we can continue to develop best-in-class technology and protect our allies” AIM co-founder Dr Jae Daniel said.
