From left to right: Air Vice-Marshal Tim Innes, DSC, CSC – Royal Australian Air Force, Mr Duncan Fountain — Industry Engagement Manager – Thales UK, Enver Eyiam — Vice President of Growth – Visionary Machines and Mr John Brosnan — Defence and Security Director UK – Austrade at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026
Pandion Sentinel is a passive optical platform that detects, tracks and classifies radio frequency-operated drones, autonomous drones and “dark drones”, without emitting a signal, making it electronically silent and undetectable unlike conventional sensor systems. The platform is hardware agnostic, allowing it to integrate with complementary technologies, such as Thales’ hardware, to expand surveillance coverage while remaining electronically silent.
Visionary Machines Chief Executive Officer, Sonny Foster, said the collaboration represents an exciting opportunity to advance passive drone detection and unlock new applications for Pandion Sentinel.
“By combining our software with Thales’ wide-area scanning hardware, we have the opportunity to push the boundaries of passive drone detection. Together, we’re exploring how we can extend surveillance across much larger areas while maintaining a completely passive profile, giving operators earlier and more reliable warning of airborne threats.”
“For soldiers on the battlefield and personnel protecting critical infrastructure, the combination of wide area scanning with high-confidence, low false alarm detection has the potential to deliver a genuine step forward in situational awareness, addressing a critical protection gap as drone threats continue to evolve in sophistication and scale.”
If successful, the trial could pave the way for a new generation of passive C-UAS detection capabilities for defence forces and critical infrastructure operators facing increasingly sophisticated drone threats.
This collaboration is another great example of the Thales Global Supply Chain Program that matches Australian SME and Thales capabilities to develop new and innovative systems that benefit our militaries.
Further details on the trial and its outcomes will be provided in the coming months.
Visionary Machines is an Australian technology company advancing global defence capabilities through cutting-edge, real-time 3D spatial sensing. Visionary Machines provides the sensing foundation for autonomous systems and advanced decision-making. By fusing deep technical innovation with mission-oriented design, we empower our partners to see, understand, and act with confidence in complex environments.
Thales is a global technology leader with more than 85,000 employees on five continents. The Group is investing in digital and “deep tech” innovations – Big Data, artificial intelligence, connectivity, cybersecurity and quantum technology.
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