AIM Defence’s Fractl:1 Tactical Directed Energy Laser has taken first place at the international Counter Drone Sandbox in Canada.
During the event, Fractl was able to track and neutralize drones at up to 1.5 kilometres away, and successfully shot down more than 30 targets over the course of 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. AIM Defence was subsequently awarded a $1 million dollar prize for first place.
The Sandbox, conducted as part of the Canadian Armed Forces’ Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)’ program, is designed to competitively evaluate counter-drone technology across the globe.
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.
Reflecting the proliferation and growing concern of weaponized drones, the 2024 Sandbox focused on the effective detection and defeat of quadcopter, FPV, and fixed wing targets. AIM Defence was one of fifteen companies selected to show off their technology at the event with other participants including industry leaders from Canada, the USA and the UK.
AIM co-founder, Ms Jessica Glenn, commented; “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.”
AIM co-founder, Dr Jae Daniel, added; “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.”
