Wars have changed. Though they continue to impact human life severely, they don’t require as much human intervention because of tech growth. Drones used in the Russia-Ukraine war ushered in a gruesome reality check for countries, compelling them to up their drone tech capabilities. To do so, counterdrone tech company DroneShield (ASX: DRO) has teamed up with extended reality company xReality Group (XRG)’s wholly-owned subsidiary Operator Tactical Solutions. 

Extended reality (XR)—a blend of VR, augmented reality and mixed reality—blurs the boundaries between the real and virtual world. Remember playing Pokémon Go on Aussie streets, trying to “catch ‘em all”? That’s one use case of XR. Counterdrone training is another.

Operator develops immersive planning, rehearsal and training solutions for the military and law enforcement markets across local and international markets. Plus, it helps that the person at its helm, Wayne Jones, has prior experience as a Patrol Commander with the Special Air Service Regiment. 

XRG CEO, Jones, shared, “Today’s battlefield is evolving quickly, making it difficult for front line defenders to be prepared for all situations. Operator’s solutions are enabling defence and law enforcement to rapidly train for these new situations in realistic, virtual environments. We are pleased to be able to add cutting-edge XR-based Counter Drone training programs to Operator’s product offering, in partnership with the C-UAS market leader, DroneShield.”

As part of the launch, XRG will be promoting the Operator training solution at the I/ITSEC (Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference) 2022 Exhibition in Florida, the US, between November 28 and December 2, 2022. Along with that, it will promote the launch of the Droneshield partnership and counterdrone training solutions while showcasing its simulation and training products. 

The XR category for military and law enforcement is growing rapidly with the market predicted to grow US$16 billion ($23.6 billion) in 2027. With the use of drones in warfare increasing significantly and for reasons beyond surveillance (like the explosives-bearing kamikaze drones), the need for counterdrone tech that can detect and defend places is becoming ever-so crucial.

DroneShield CEO, Oleg Vornik, affirms, “As the counterdrone industry continues to rapidly grow and develop, evidenced by significant use of small drones by both side in the Ukraine war, there is an emergent need for counterdrone tactics and training packages for the system operators. As the global leader in the C-UAS sector, DroneShield is well placed to provide the training.” 

Through the virtual reality-based Operator training solution, users will train the counterdrone tech to identify the category of threat and address it (through enemy fire simulation). Later, they will be able to review the performance after from different angles. The training system will allow end users to simulate a wide variety of scenarios with customised drone threats, drone types, and locations in virtual reality, integrating into DroneShield’s counter drone weapons. 

The training kit will feature a VR headset, DroneGun MKII (like a lightweight, battery-powered hand gun) and DroneGun Tactical (like a long range rifle to bring down drones). 

The dollar value of this deal is yet to be ascertained but is expected to benefit both companies. With DroneShield, XRG gets to access a range of important clients, from the US to Asian governments. With XRG, DroneShield gets to enhance its portfolio of training solutions, allowing people to train drones without risking constant damage and repair.