Israeli firm Sentrycs has been awarded the prestigious 2025 Army Technology Innovation Award for its advanced counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) technology. The system’s unique approach—leveraging radio-frequency (RF) protocol analysis and GNSS spoofing rather than kinetic or jamming-based defeat mechanisms—has positioned it as a disruptive force in the rapidly evolving C-UAS domain.
RF-Based Approach to Drone Mitigation
Sentrycs’ core innovation lies in its non-jamming, non-kinetic method of intercepting and neutralizing unauthorized drones. Instead of relying on brute-force electronic warfare or hard-kill solutions like projectiles or directed energy weapons, Sentrycs uses passive RF detection to identify drone protocols in real time. Once a target UAV is identified and authenticated as hostile or unauthorized, the system exploits vulnerabilities in the drone’s communication protocols—particularly those of DJI and other commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) platforms—to assume control or force a safe landing.
This approach offers several operational advantages:
- Minimal collateral interference: Since it does not jam across wide frequency bands, it avoids disrupting nearby civilian or military RF systems.
- Stealthy mitigation: The takeover process is silent and undetectable to most operators.
- Legal compliance: In many jurisdictions where jamming is restricted by law, protocol manipulation offers a compliant alternative.
The system can detect multiple drones simultaneously and operate in dense urban environments where traditional radar-based solutions struggle due to clutter and line-of-sight limitations. It also supports integration with existing sensor fusion platforms via open APIs.
GNSS Spoofing as a Controlled Defeat Mechanism
A key differentiator of Sentrycs’ solution is its use of controlled Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) spoofing to mislead drones into executing safe landings. Rather than scrambling GPS signals indiscriminately—which can affect friendly assets—the system generates precise false coordinates that cause the target UAV to believe it has reached a geofenced boundary or return-to-home location. This technique is particularly effective against semi-autonomous drones that rely on onboard navigation rather than continuous operator control.
Sentrycs claims that this capability works even against encrypted GNSS receivers under certain conditions, although this assertion remains unverified by independent testing. Still, the combination of RF protocol manipulation with localized GNSS spoofing provides a dual-layered mitigation strategy that enhances reliability without resorting to destructive measures.
Award Criteria and Competitive Landscape
The Army Technology Innovation Award recognizes technologies that demonstrate significant potential to enhance operational capabilities across domains such as ISR (intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance), force protection, and electronic warfare. According to official statements from the award committee, Sentrycs was selected from over 70 nominees based on criteria including technical novelty, field applicability, interoperability with NATO C4ISR architectures, and low logistical footprint.
Sentrycs’ win places it ahead of more established players like Dedrone (which combines radar/acoustic/EO sensors with jammers), Black Sage Technologies (noted for AI-enabled kill-chain automation), and Anduril Industries (developer of Lattice OS fused sensor networks). Unlike these competitors who often rely on multi-sensor fusion with kinetic defeat options such as net guns or directed energy weapons (DEWs), Sentrycs focuses solely on cyber-electronic neutralization—a niche increasingly relevant in populated areas where collateral damage must be minimized.
Operational Deployments and Testing Milestones
Sentrycs has reportedly completed successful trials with several NATO-aligned militaries throughout 2023–2024. Notably:
- IDF deployment: The Israeli Defense Forces integrated Sentrycs into forward operating bases near Gaza during recent escalations to intercept low-flying quadcopters used for ISR by Hamas-affiliated groups.
- NATO evaluation: A joint test at Grafenwöhr Training Area in Germany included interoperability assessments with NATO’s C-UAS Operational Assessment Framework under JCOE oversight.
- Civilian infrastructure protection: European airports have trialed the system for runway incursion prevention without violating EU spectrum regulations.
The company claims a mean time-to-detection under five seconds per drone within a two-kilometer radius under standard urban conditions. Mitigation success rates reportedly exceed 90% against known DJI models such as Mavic Pro/3T/Mini series—though performance against custom-built FPVs remains limited due to lack of standardized protocols.
C-UAS Trends Driving Demand
The proliferation of small UAVs—ranging from hobbyist drones used for smuggling or ISR up to militarized FPV loitering munitions—is driving unprecedented demand for scalable countermeasures. In Ukraine alone, thousands of FPV-style drones have been deployed monthly on both sides since early 2023; many are now equipped with anti-jamming modules or hardened comm links that challenge traditional EW defenses.
This environment favors layered defense concepts combining radar/EO detection with soft-kill options like protocol exploitation. As militaries seek cost-effective solutions that can scale across fixed installations without requiring constant human-in-the-loop intervention, systems like Sentrycs offer an attractive alternative—especially when integrated into broader base defense architecture alongside SHORAD systems like NASAMS or Iron Dome variants adapted for drone threats.
Looking Ahead: Integration and Export Potential
Sentrycs’ roadmap includes expanding compatibility beyond DJI protocols toward emerging Chinese platforms such as Autel Robotics EVO II series and Skydio X10D-class tactical drones used by U.S. forces. The firm is also exploring AI-enhanced signal classification using embedded machine learning models trained on real-world spectrum data collected during conflict zones—including Ukraine’s Donbas region via partner field teams.
The company is reportedly negotiating export licenses through Israel’s Ministry of Defense Directorate of Defense Exports (SIBAT) targeting European partners within NATO’s DIANA framework for dual-use tech acceleration. Integration pilots are planned with Rheinmetall’s Skymaster C4I suite in Q1 2026 pending funding approvals under Germany’s Bundeswehr innovation program “Digitale Verteidigung.”
If successful at scale-up manufacturing while maintaining regulatory compliance across jurisdictions wary of GNSS manipulation tech, Sentrycs could emerge not just as an award winner—but as a defining player in next-gen non-kinetic airspace security solutions globally.
