NETLINE showcases SonicScan Counter-UAS acoustic detection at Eurosatory 2026

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The expanding use of drones in modern conflicts is continuing to spur the creation of technologies designed to detect and defeat these threats. Against this backdrop, Israeli company NETLINE Communications Technologies used its appearance at Eurosatory 2026 to showcase its Counter-UAS portfolio, with particular emphasis on SonicScan: an acoustic detection system intended to passively identify drones, including in demanding environments.

In an interview with Zona Militar, the company's representatives said SonicScan was developed to address several shortcomings of conventional radar-based detection systems. These limitations are particularly relevant when dealing with small drones with a low radar signature, or in operational settings where electromagnetic transmissions could reveal friendly force positions.

“We describe it as acoustic radar because it gives us the direction of the threat without transmitting any signal,” NETLINE's representative explained. Rather than radiating electromagnetic energy like a conventional radar, the system relies on a network of acoustic sensors and artificial intelligence-based algorithms to recognise and classify airborne threats by their sound signatures.

SonicScan passive acoustic drone detection

According to NETLINE, the system incorporates an array of 128 microphones that can identify the acoustic features of various unmanned aircraft types. Data gathered by the microphones is processed by artificial intelligence algorithms, enabling the system to separate drone noise from other sounds in the surrounding area while also indicating the direction from which a threat is approaching.

NETLINE stressed that the technology's passive operation is among its principal advantages. “Radar has its own limitations. It is an active system and, in combat, if it transmits, the enemy can locate you. With an acoustic sensor you are completely passive,” company representatives stated.

The company believes this attribute is becoming increasingly important as contemporary conflicts develop into environments ever more saturated with sensors and electronic surveillance systems. It noted that interest is rising in technologies able to retain situational awareness without disclosing the location of friendly forces through electromagnetic emissions.

Designed to counter threats seen in Ukraine

A key point highlighted during the presentation was SonicScan's ability to detect threats that have become prominent in the war in Ukraine, especially FPV drones employed for reconnaissance and attacks. NETLINE stated that the system can detect small FPV drones at ranges exceeding one kilometre, offering valuable warning time for defensive action. “We detect small FPV drones at more than one kilometre of distance,” the company representative highlighted.

The company also said that the system is effective against fibre-optic-guided drones, a threat that has attracted attention in recent years because it is immune to conventional electronic jamming systems. These drones generally produce a more noticeable acoustic signature owing to the additional weight of the fibre-optic spool, NETLINE explained. “We detect fibre-optic-guided drones at an even greater distance because they must also carry the cable and their engines work more,” representatives pointed out.

NETLINE maintains that these features make SonicScan particularly valuable as a complement to other surveillance systems, supplying an additional detection layer against threats that may be difficult to spot using conventional sensors.

An integrated anti-drone defence architecture

Alongside SonicScan, NETLINE displayed other solutions at Eurosatory intended to form an integrated anti-drone defence architecture. These included the Duo-Guard Manpack and Duo-Guard Vehicular systems, designed to neutralise threats through electronic warfare, as well as the portable C-Block Micro system and the GeoDome command-and-control platform.

According to the company, the current direction is towards bringing sensors, effectors and electromagnetic spectrum management tools together in one operational architecture. “Everything is being combined into a single system. The aim is to integrate detection, protection, situational awareness and connectivity,” its representatives explained. This approach reflects the increasing complexity of the operating environment, in which drone defence demands the combination of early warning, identification, tracking and neutralisation capabilities within ever shorter timeframes.

Passive systems in the Counter-UAS market

Within this context, NETLINE expects passive solutions to become increasingly prominent in the Counter-UAS market. “There is growing interest in passive systems,” the company representatives concluded, pointing to a trend shaped both by lessons from recent conflicts and by the need to operate in electromagnetic environments that are becoming more heavily contested.

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