Adaptation of Low C-SWaP BVLOS Sensing System for DoD cUAS

The VICTOR system is a low C-SWaP, scalable multi-sensor surveillance platform designed to provide persistent, high-resolution airspace monitoring for cUAS and Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. The system integrates a patent-pending multi-sensor array with advanced AI-driven detection and tracking algorithms, enabling automated identification, classification, and continuous monitoring of airborne objects. Unlike traditional radar-based systems, which can be costly, infrastructure-intensive, and prone to high false-alarm rates, VICTOR leverages a high-density optical sensor network to provide superior pixel-on-target resolution while maintaining a low power and operational footprint. At the core of VICTOR is its 42-camera optical array, delivering a 504-megapixel stitched view for 360-degree airspace awareness. The system integrates EO/IR sensors, ADS-B, Remote ID, and laser rangefinding to provide multi-layered situational awareness. Its AI-driven detection architecture employs multi-frame analysis and real-time image processing to enhance tracking accuracy, even in cluttered airspace or challenging environmental conditions. By fusing sensor inputs, VICTOR ensures continuous, autonomous monitoring with minimal operator intervention, making it well-suited for fixed-site security, base protection, and remote airspace surveillance applications. The D2P2 effort will focus on ruggedization, modular deployment capabilities, and optimized AI detection models to transition VICTOR from its commercial BVLOS applications to a mission-ready defense surveillance system. The system will undergo structured field testing, beginning with the U.S. Core II cUAS test event in May 2025 and the Cyber Fortress 25 cUAS test event in August 2025, where VICTOR V2’s tracking performance and classification accuracy will be evaluated. Concurrently, a VICTOR V2 unit will be deployed at NUAIR in Syracuse, NY, for passive data collection and AI model refinement, improving small-object detection reliability through correlated flight log analysis. Following these validation efforts, VICTOR V3 will be developed with ruggedized hardware, sectorized deployment options, and an upgraded processing architecture, enhancing environmental resilience and reducing system power requirements. By Q4 2025, VICTOR V3 will undergo final testing at NUAIR before being deployed at the 174th Attack Wing for real-world operational assessment, where it will be evaluated for persistent airspace monitoring and integration with base defense networks. By the end of this effort, Lighthouse Avionics will deliver a fully validated, scalable cUAS surveillance system capable of providing automated threat detection, continuous monitoring, and seamless integration with existing DoD airspace security systems, ensuring a technically superior and operationally viable solution for next-generation airspace defense.