Danish aviation manufacturer Terma Group has acquired UK-based specialist OSL to strengthen its anti-drone portfolio at a time when there is an increase in air attacks on critical infrastructure across Europe. This step was taken with the aim of reinforcing Terma’s leading position in air defense technologies and providing more effective solutions against new threats.
Although the transaction process started at the beginning of the year, increasing airspace violations in recent months led to the acceleration of the decision. In her statement to Defense News, Terma CEO Henriette H. Thygesen drew attention to the developments in the sector and emphasized that drone attacks and violations in Europe point to growing risks. “The increase in drone attacks and breaches in Europe demonstrates the need for new approaches to protecting large-scale infrastructures.”
Partnership and Integration Process
The acquisition aims to integrate OSL’s operational experience at major airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick with Terma’s situational awareness and command-control systems. Thus, the radar, RF, optical and acoustic signals obtained from the sensors will be combined and the basis for the installation of a comprehensive airspace monitoring infrastructure will be prepared. This data will provide operators with a detailed and reliable view.
If an effective anti-drone solution is supported by missiles or similar integrable sensors that neutralize enemy drones, not only detection and monitoring but also intervention capacity can be provided. Thus, detecting and neutralizing threats will be possible with an end-to-end integrated and ready-to-use system.
Security and Technological Developments
Thygesen stated that recent attacks reveal deficiencies in the speed and accuracy of detection and identification. “It is now more critical to not only detect threats, but to verify quickly, reduce false alarms and act with confidence.”he said and touched upon the role of sensor fusion and disciplined workflows. These developments help security teams better understand threats and make quick decisions.
OSL has been implementing anti-drone technology at Heathrow Airport since 2022. The system scans the designated airspace for illegal drone movements and provides detailed information to ground operators. In addition, information regarding drone ownership and flight permits in the United Kingdom can also be monitored through these systems.
Lessons and Challenges
Airports stand out as one of the most challenging environments in terms of surveillance technologies. While some facilities take voluntary measures, others are in the process of developing the system. According to Dedrone’s blog post, some airports are experiencing difficulties with measurable targets in their detection, monitoring and verification processes. Failure of early warning systems can lead to critical security vulnerabilities; For example, a low-altitude drone that cannot be detected by radar can be detected at the bottom of a parked aircraft. RF sensors sometimes detect without visual inspection, which can result in false positives. These situations can lead to misclassification and resulting economic, reputational or regulatory problems.
