Coptrz Defence shows out at UK’s First Battle Lab demo

Callum Wells • Jul 27, 2023

Coptrz assisted Brigantes and the British Army in hosting the inaugural Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Solutions event at Battle Lab. Over 15 brands presented their range of products to 100 visitors.


About the Event

The event aimed to create a unique opportunity for the visitors to learn about the wide range of companies within the drone industry.


Held at Dorset Innovation Park, over 100 members from the Ministry of Defence attended to gain a greater understanding of how the products on show can work seamlessly together to create a complete solution and bring vital elements to the battle space. We had industry-leading innovators from around the world, including ParrotAndurilTyphon and 4GD.


About the Brands

Brigantes

Brigantes originates from the UK outdoor industry, bringing with it the principles of openness, technical expertise and ethical business.


An off shoot of a long standing family business, with over forty years of experience building and selling outdoor brands across the globe, Brigantes was conceived to bridge the gap between the Outdoor and Defence industries in order to provide the best equipment and advice possible to the men and women in our armed forces.

Starting in January 2014 Brigantes quickly used its connections and position to build a strong portfolio of brands that wished to engage with the military. This has now grown to a substantial collection of companies who have hugely benefited from the sales achieved through Brigantes’ sales efforts and contracts.


Having achieved incredible growth every year to date Brigantes trades right across the globe but has a continued focus to the UK and Europe.


Parrot

A French company founded in 2014, Parrot have been developing quick response, short-range recon drones for Defence and Emergency Service markets ever since.

Parrot focus on security and data quality with their sUAS range, as well as compatibility with various mapping & mission planning software.


Their latest model, the Parrot Anafi USA SE, was specifically designed for Defence. Easily portable with high quality RGB and thermal imaging cameras, the Parrot Anafi USA Security Edition is the quietest drone in its class, and is also flyable in under 55 seconds.


Sky-Hero

Based in Belgium, Sky-Hero lead the market in the field of next-gen indoor flying cameras. With a rich history of providing equipment for police officers and soldiers, their products supply immediate capabilities to detect, reduce and clear threats in complex terrain such as dense urban areas, confined spaces and underground passages.

The Loki mk2 is a completely GPS-denied tactical drone that operates without any need for an internet connection. It can be used as a sentry for video or audio for up to 3 hours when stationary and a pilot can operate up to 4 drones from a single controller.


Typhon

Typhon are a UK-based company with a focus on creating non-lethal, reloadable distraction devices. Their mission is simple, provide unrivalled products that negate the risks associated with conventional pyrotechnic devices.

The Typhon DS-100 distraction payload is fully integrated into the Sky-Hero LOKI MK2 platform. The GCS software allows for an operator to choose between a single event or burst initiation of the Typhon distraction cartridge, providing maximum operational flexibility.


Wingtra

Headquarted in Switzerland, Wingtra is the biggest producer of VTOL drones in the world. With a large focus on mapping, Wingtra have made a name for themselves for their speed and efficiency.

The  WingtraOne PPK VTOL can map 10-14x faster than a quadcopter and unlike other fixed-wing drones, it is able to take off vertically like a helicopter, removing the need for hand launches or catapults. Once in the air, it flies like a regular fixed-wing aircraft, with flight times of up to 55 minutes.


Pix4D

Pix4D have been providing software solutions for professional drone-based mapping since they were founded in 2011. Developed from years of scientific research, Pix4D software uses images taken by hand, drone, or plane and creates customizable results that complement a wide range of applications and software.

Pix4Dreact is a simple 2D software that allows users to obtain the rapid and reliable situational awareness needed for quick decisions in the field. On the other hand, Pix4Dmapper is useful for planning or evaluating missions, using 3D reconstructions of the environment to visually verify and improve accuracy.


Planck Aero

Based in San Diego, CA, Planck Aero was founded in 2014 by a US Navy helicopter pilot with the vision of making unmanned aviation simpler & safer. Planck believes that personnel should focus on high impact tasks, not flying an aircraft.


Their minimal hardware is built onboard the UAV device, offering autonomous tethered or untethered flights, with no calibration required

Aircrafts can operate with the push of a button from trucks, ships, unmanned vehicles, confined spaces, and fixed locations.

Much more than a positioning system, Planck ACE is a full-fledged control system that adapts to the conditions and motion of the host platform, replicating the actions that would be performed by a highly skilled pilot.


Doosan

With more than a century of history, Doosan is a global leading player in the UAV field, using their fuel cell technology to create some of the world's most extensive drone batteries and devices.


Their aim is to enable reliable long-endurance flights that accelerate the growth of the UAV industry.

The new DS30 UAV has become the world’s first mass-manufactured hydrogen cell drone. This drone is excellent for delivering supplies to remote areas due to its 20 minute flight time and 5kg maximum payload.


Anduril

An American company that provides both hardware and software for Security and Defence purposes. All Anduril products operate off the back of their Lattice AI software, which collates real-time data into a single-autonomous operating picture.


This results in unrivalled, real-time situational awareness, so that human operators can respond instantly and accurately with the best information possible.

Anduril products range from rapidly deploying sentries that are sustainable with minimal maintenance in austere conditions, to their own military specialised drone, the Ghost 4 sUAS VTOL. This drone boasts a high payload capacity, near-silent acoustic signature with fully watertight functionality.



senseFLY

Founded in 2009 in Switzerland, senseFly is the commercial drone subsidiary of Parrot group. Their mission is to make work safer and more efficient through proven drone solutions that simplify the collection and analysis of geospatial data.

The result is for the user to be able to make better decisions, faster.


Their flagship drone is the eBee X, a lightweight & hand-launched VTOL designed for all mapping missions. Built to reduce downtime and cost, you can swap out the damaged parts as needed. The VTOL is also light rain resistant and compatible with Pix4D mappers.


2iC

2iC’s unique software layer liberates human capability in the battlespace by digitally automating the exchange of mission-critical and actionable information between commanders, operators and equipment across land, sea and air.

Designed for the very leanest of digital conditions in the modern battlespace, 2iC’s software delivers two-way communications in environments with low-power computing, low-bandwidth connections, physical landscape challenges, or interrupted communications. It effectively delivers the benefits of IoT (the Internet of Things) when there is no viable internet.


The 2iC interoperability software layer sits discreetly on any number of military platforms, systems or devices (trusted and untrusted).


4GD

4GD are redefining the future of immersive close-combat training. At the heart of this is the drive to achieve operational excellence through immersive, realistic and flexible facilities.


Their mission is to ensure that your training is as true to operations as possible, whilst supporting you in meeting the demands of modern conflict..

The vision is to increase the quality of training and deliver high-quality systems that allow you to: make targeted improvement in your team and individual performance; enhance your ability to respond to various complex situations; and build battle-winning performance through a blend of virtual and real environments.


UAVTEK

UAVTEK are a UK sovereign, veteran-owned manufacturer of unmanned for military and defence markets. They pride themselves on their ability to develop UAVs that go faster, fly longer, weigh less and carry more.


Their UAVs include the 200g Nano BUG, a UAV with a low visual profile and boasts capability in windy conditions of up to 45 knots. Built with real world situations in mind, UAVTEK promises that weather will never prevent you from deploying your nano-UAV.

Evolve Dynamics

Evolve Dynamics are the designer, developer and manufacturer of mission-specific UAV, RPAS, drone and payload systems for Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR).

 

The Sky Mantis all weather long endurance UAV is now widely deployed with UK and international Police Forces, Fire Services, Energy inspection, Search & Rescue organisations and UK MoD (Ministry of Defence) customers.s

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