As always, DEFENDER awards are presented at the end of the International Defence Industry Exhibition (MSPO Kielce 2021). In this year’s DEFENDER awards, the competition jury positively assessed the project: the ScanDRON laser-based system for detecting and tracking low-flying objects.  

The project was carried out under a development project co-financed by the National Centre for Research and Development by a consortium of companies: the Military University of Technology (leader), the Military Institute of Technology of the Air Forces, KenBIT Sp. z o.o., and Nordcom Sp. z o.o. The DEFENDER award statuette was received on behalf of the Consortium by the Rector-Commandant of the Military University of Technology, Colonel Prof. Dr. Eng. Przemysław WACHULAK. We congratulate the Rector, the consortium members, and we are pleased that our company also contributed to the development of such an innovative system. The project was led by Lt. Col. Dr. Eng. Marek ŻYCZKOWSKI from the Military University of Technology’s Institute of Optoelectronics.  

The main component of the system is a scanner laser developed from scratch—an innovation on a global scale. It enables continuous monitoring of the observed sector within a 120° angle, in real time, and the determination of the locations of newly appearing objects.  

The system can be used by the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, the Police, and the Border Guard—for example—to help curb the smuggling of various types of materials, unauthorised crossing of the state border, and unauthorised flights near the border, as well as to protect critical infrastructure.