Doodle Labs has worked with Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Red Cat) to integrate mesh radios into Teal Drones’ systems, in order to complete electronic warfare (EW) field testing in Ukraine.
The companies state that jamming has posed the biggest challenge to Ukrainian armed forces’ use of small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) at scale. Integrated into Teal systems, Doodle Labs’ frequency-hopping radios can evade jamming attempts and are usable in multi-domain environments for surveillance and swarming operations.
Doodle Labs’ Helix Mesh Rider® radio has a built-in spectrum scanner that monitors in-band interference and provides automatic band and channel switching capabilities. It provides the tactical capability of switching frequency bands in the field with 6 bands in one radio. With sponsorship from the Defense Innovation Unit, Doodle Labs assert that Helix is the only radio that meets the Blue UAS program requirements in one radio.
Teal 2 is a cost-effective, man-portable sUAS designed to “Dominate the Night™” that has cutting-edge night vision, multi-vehicle control support, and a fully modular design. It is both Blue UAS Certified and FAA Remote ID approved. Red Cat subsidiary Teal Drones builds its Teal 2 system, designed to support U.S. and allied military operations, public safety organizations, and government agencies, at its Utah facility.
The ongoing partnership between Red Cat and Doodle Labs is addressing the growing need by the U.S. and its allies for small, autonomous, and attritable drones equipped with anti-jamming radios capable of operating in electronic warfare.
The recent successful test is part of a continuous innovation cycle that began in May 2023 with a partnership between Doodle Labs and Red Cat for its U.S. Army Short Range Reconnaissance (SRR) program prototype.
Red Cat state that its success with Doodle Labs and the integration of its Helix Mesh Rider® Radio adds to the company’s robust tactical ecosystem of partnerships with leading companies in the industry. Red Cat hardware and software partners enable multi-domain capabilities that will deter conflict or dominate the fight.
George Matus, Red Cat CTO, commented; “The main objective of every one of our partnerships is to increase the survivability and lethality of the warfighter – and our work with Doodle Labs is no exception.
“Requirements for operation in EW environments are changing rapidly as sUAS become an integral part of modern warfare. The U.S. and its allies require a capability that prevents their systems from being jammed during critical missions, and this successful EW test is a major step forward for Teal in meeting these requirements.”
Amol Parikh, Doodle Labs Co-CEO, added; “The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the real world need for low-cost, U.S. made drones that can be deployed rapidly at scale and withstand enemy jamming attempts.
“Drone communication and jamming is a continuous game of cat and mouse that requires constant innovation. Our Mesh Rider radio is proven to evade the most highly sophisticated jamming attempts at long distances, and we’re highly encouraged by the successful integration and EW testing with Red Cat and Teal.”
