Skyperion drone detection system selected by NATO state

Metis, a specialist in radio frequency (RF) threat detection technologies, has secured a contract to supply its Skyperion drone detection systems to a NATO customer, according to a July 10th press release. The Skyperion systems will integrate into the customer’s existing Counter Uncrewed Air Systems (C-UAS) capabilities, bolstering their ability to safeguard their airspace, installations, and infrastructure against drone threats. 

Due to the sensitive nature of the capability, and to maintain operational advantage, neither the customer nor the quantity purchased can be disclosed. This marks the fourth NATO ally to acquire the Skyperion system with over 80 Skyperion systems in operation with NATO partners or deployed globally in support of their national security interests, the press release states. 

Metis was selected to provide the RF drone detection component because it designs and manufactures modular systems with an open architecture that enables integration with other electronic warfare capabilities and systems. This means that nations, primes, or systems integrators can incorporate Metis products with other technologies for detection, tracking, identification, and defeat of drones.

Tony Burnell, CEO of Metis, stated, “I am extremely proud of the RF detect capabilities we field. The ability of our products to detect RF signatures beyond that of our competitors has been proven operationally and during trials with regularity. We are pleased to again have been selected by a prime to deliver the drone detect function and are proud to be supporting a NATO partner nation with enhanced security. Looking to the future, our capabilities have utility beyond just drone detection and because we maintain an agnostic open architecture, seek to be the provider of choice for RF detection across defence and government organisations globally.”

Metis’s origins lie in signals intelligence gathering technology development and operational experience, which has increasingly focused on countering the asymmetric drone threat. The company has collaborated with governments for over a decade, advancing C-UAS RF detection capabilities, including Skyperion, through government-backed research funding.

Drone Detection: A Non-Discretionary Requirement

The past year has highlighted the increasing prevalence and threat of unauthorised drone incursions over military installations globally, underscoring the need for drone detection capabilities. In late 2024, a series of unauthorized drone activities were reported over and near US Air Force bases in the United Kingdom, including RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall, for several days, raising security concerns, as reported by The New York Times. These incidents involved multiple unmanned aerial vehicles, prompting joint monitoring and countermeasures by US and UK military personnel.

Similarly, in December 2024, drone sightings were reported over Ramstein Air Base in Germany and near arms factories, further demonstrating the widespread nature of these threats. US military officials also acknowledged numerous drone sightings over US military bases throughout 2024. For instance, unidentified drones were observed over Langley Air Force Base in December 2023 and March 2024, according to an October 2024 article in the Wall Street Journal. These incidents have led to calls for expanded authority to counter drones and investment in C-UAS technologies. Equally, Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb demonstrated the potential costs of failing to protect base infrastructure from small drones, which is hopefully helping to drive interest in C-UAS technologies. 

The growing threat landscape has spurred other defence companies to develop capabilities. Anduril Industries, for instance, was awarded a potential 10-year, $642.2 million (£505 million/€596 million) contract by the US Marine Corps in March 2025 to deliver, install, and sustain Installation-Counter small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (I-CsUAS). This contract, as reported by Defense One, focuses on protecting Marine Corps bases from small drones and integrates various sensors and effectors into an AI-powered command and control platform known as Lattice. Anduril’s solution, which leverages AI for autonomous detection, tracking, identification, and neutralization of aerial threats, is designed to empower human operators to make decisions with minimal manpower, as the company states.

Tech Profile: Skyperion

The Skyperion product range captures RF emissions across the spectrum, filtering out background noise and known entities before analysing them to identify and locate threats. Metis has combined an Open ESM (Electronic Support Measures) AI-enhanced waveform analysis algorithm with a traditional library database, according to the press release. This delivers a self-learning and comprehensive RF detection function across a vast array of frequencies. In a nutshell, this seems to indicate that the AI-enabled element of the system is able to assess what a detected frequency is, even if it is completely new based on an understanding of the wider electro-magnetic spectrum. This is sometimes achieved with something known as a foundational model.

Foundational models are trained on vast, diverse, and often unlabeled datasets. These datasets can include billions of words of text, millions of images, videos, audio, and even code. This massive training allows the model to learn a broad understanding of patterns, structures, and relationships within the data across various modalities and then apply it to real-world scenarios. This type of approach is pursued by Helsing for sub-surface target detection, and is also used by Mind Foundry.

The system can detect a drone signature out to 2.5 km and depending on the target, environment, and other factors, identify a rogue drone out to 10 km. The current customer will be utilising these systems in a fixed-site role. However, the Metis Skyperion Rugged version can be easily transported in its military-grade rugged cases and can operate in a mobile role if required. It is designed and constructed to survive in austere conditions, as explained on the Metis website. The Metis website further details that Skyperion provides 360-degree coverage, can operate autonomously, is easy to use with minimal training, and is versatile enough for land-based, mobile, or marine-based installation.

Calibre comment

The C-UAS world is expanding rapidly with multiple products on offer. Open Works Engineering recently announced an expansion in both staff and facilities, for example. This should be welcomed for Western militaries as they contemplate the best way to protect their forces and infrastructure from small drones. However, there is still work to be done in terms of protecting a deployed force outside of the protective umbrella that can be offered by a fixed installation. 

By Sam Cranny-Evans, published on 11th July, 2025. Credit for the lead image is Metis.