Story ID: 301
Honeywell Expands Samurai Counter-Drone Capabilities 
By: Charlotte Bailey
Caption: Odys VTOL extends counter-drone system aloft
Word Count: 580
Honeywell Aerospace is set to expand the scope of its Stationary and Mobile UAS Reveal and Intercept (Samurai) system, with the technology now being integrated into Odys Aviation’s uncrewed Laila VTOL aircraft.
As with its existing ground-based solution—which can be operated from a fixed location or a moving vehicle—Honeywell sees the ability to “track, classify, identify, and ultimately defeat these different types of drones” as increasingly relevant. Serving as Samurai’s lead systems integrator via its Unitus software, Honeywell combines technology-agnostic hardware such as radars, sensors, and imaging devices.
“In my lifetime, I’ve never seen such a galvanizing threat [from potentially hostile drones] at every echelon of government,” said Tom Konicki, Honeywell’s director of business development for defense and space. Whether overflying an airport, a military facility, a sporting event, or another sensitive site, unknown operators and unclear intentions pose a real risk. “Are they clueless, are they careless, or is it nefarious?” he asked.
Identify and Eliminate
To combat this threat, Samurai—unveiled in 2024 and described by Konicki as “battle management software, more than just command and control”—allows an end user to specify which systems they choose to integrate. In the demonstration setup, four radar panels each offer about 110 degrees of field of view, with a range of around 20 kilometers (12 miles).
Radio-frequency detection capability helps to “gain a common understanding of what’s coming at you,” augmented by electro-optical infrared cameras or noise-detection capability, according to Honeywell. Working with a fixed ground control station, the system assigns detected drones a hostility score measured against predefined rules of engagement.
This ground control station also serves to note the position of known “friendly” drones, with operators able to verify and override threat signals (for example, a known oil refinery drone with faulty communications). “We’re in the process of being able to integrate with that station to pull the friendly picture in, especially on the commercial side,” Konicki said. “It’s just a matter of getting those data links and pulling that data, but as we build the software to be open-architecture, we can ingest all sorts of incoming data streams.”
However, working within an operator’s preset rules of engagement, Samurai also supports the deployment of kinetic or nonkinetic effectors to neutralize threats. Nonkinetic effects include jamming signals or a cyber takeover capability, potentially also pinpointing the operator’s location. Kinetic mitigation measures could include a low-collateral effector such as deploying another drone with a net or, depending on the circumstances, the use of a high-energy laser or kamikaze drone.
Although the system will suggest a course of action, with a semiautonomous or fully autonomous mode helping to reduce operator task saturation, customers typically require human oversight before engaging a kinetic option. “99% of what we’re doing is not unrestricted warfare scenarios,” Konicki said.
After a mission, AI-enabled analytics also help assess the data gathered to improve future performance. Honeywell leads continuous upgrade work from its facility in Brno, Czech Republic. Samurai’s open architecture also enables the company to integrate local content or swap out certain hardware to avoid U.S. export restrictions.
Honeywell also offers the entire Samurai system as a service, meaning that while the end user is responsible for its deployment, the manufacturer retains ownership and maintenance responsibilities. It can also operate the system itself if the customer prefers.