Poland evaluated a Norwegian acoustic drone detection system in a series of tests under the Eastern Shield program, conducted at the Central Air Force Range in Ustka on April 22, 2026.
According to Defence Blog, the test included seven different drone interception systems and is part of Poland’s growing effort to strengthen its border security over the long term.
Among the systems tested was the Discovair G2+, developed by Norwegian company Squarehead Technology. It is an acoustic sensor built around an array of directional microphones that detects, tracks, and classifies drones by analyzing their sound signatures rather than their radio frequency emissions or radar cross-section.
The acoustic detection approach of the Discovair G2+ aims to close a gap that NATO allied countries have been facing. Counter-drone systems mainly rely on radio frequency detection, which identifies control signals between a drone and its operator, and radar, which detects the physical presence of an object in the air. Both approaches have limitations that adversaries have learned to exploit.
However, as highlighted by Squarehead Technology, no drone can be completely silent. A drone’s acoustic signature in flight is a physical consequence of its propulsion system, present regardless of the software running on the vehicle or any electronic modifications made.
The Discovair G2+ uses directional microphone arrays and AI-based signal analysis to identify drone sound signatures, even in acoustically cluttered environments such as background noise from wind, vehicles, and human activity that would interfere with simpler listening systems.
The result is a passive sensor that produces no emissions of its own, making it undetectable to drone operators searching for electronic signatures of active counter-drone systems. These features make the equipment particularly attractive for integration into Poland’s Eastern Shield program.
Photo: Squarehead Technology. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
