After a decade of groundbreaking service, it’s time to officially say goodbye to ELVIRA, the very first purpose-built drone detection radar in the market.
Our first drone radar may have been discontinued, but it’s still driving everything that comes next. ELVIRA sent us soaring, in 2D, into the defence and security market all the way back in 2014.
It laid the groundwork for some of our core technologies and achievements: from micro-Doppler classification and rapid prototyping to real-world deployment under pressure.
ELVIRA taught us how to move fast without compromising, to innovate boldly, and think with those on the front lines of airspace defence and security.
Now, as we commit full focus to the unique combination of 360° coverage and 3D insights, we celebrate the undeniable legacy ELVIRA leaves.
An emerging and elusive threat
In 2014, drone use was advancing fast. Their availability and commercialisation were surging, with elusive builds and increasingly capable flight powers. They were fast becoming a formidable threat to airspace safety and security everywhere.
Back then, we used drones in testing cycles (and still do). We knew our radars could detect them, and that we had the potential to help. But, could we build a radar that distinguishes drones from birds, classifies them accurately and tracks their erratic flight?
The challenge was steep, but the answer became ELVIRA.
Although ELVIRA was carefully considered, it was born from a burning need and innovated at lightning speed. Amazingly, within a year of beginning the project, our specialised 2D radar had landed in the defence and security market.
Robin Radar System Specialist, Wouter Keijer, was one of the engineers leading ELVIRA’s rapid launch. He said, “We wanted to get a robust and capable CUAS radar to market as soon as possible. That meant reusing a lot of components from our avian radar and relying on COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) parts for the rest.
“The real innovation was in its micro-Doppler technology, which allowed ELVIRA to classify drones by their propeller signatures. That was a wholly new concept for us at the time.
“We aimed to keep things simple: a 2D rotating radar using FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) technology, low power, and micro-Doppler capability. We made it affordable, capable, and reliable. In that sense, ELVIRA did what few radar systems could do at the time.”
An early version of Elvira (2016):
Deployments that put ELVIRA on the map
Once launched, ELVIRA quickly proved its worth in mission-critical environments. The system gave us a solid foothold in the defence and security sector, going on to establish our name as a trusted provider worldwide.
Plenty of high-profile deployments presented unique logistical challenges. Every one of them demanded an advanced detection system that could be trusted under pressure, and ELVIRA delivered every time.
Some favourites in ELVIRA’s montage of real-world missions:
2016 – Hanover Fair, Germany
ELVIRA played a central role in securing the world’s largest industrial technology trade fair during a state visit by U.S. President Barack Obama and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. With thousands of attendees and global media coverage, it presented a complex security landscape in a densely populated urban setting.
2017 – G20 Summit, Hamburg
Amid widespread demonstrations and elevated geopolitical tensions, ELVIRA formed part of the multi-layered surveillance protecting heads of state and government at this important summit.
2018 – NATO Summit, Brussels
This important NATO Summit required coordinated international security efforts across multiple jurisdictions. ELVIRA’s detection capabilities reinforced the integrity of highly protected airspace during the summit’s critical decision-making sessions. How it reached its deployment position was just as impressive as the radar’s performance itself (involving a helicopter and a very brave engineer)!
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Engineering breakthroughs
Let’s rewind to the gruelling engineering that made every deployment a success. Though ELVIRA was created at pace, that certainly didn’t detract from any of the glaring innovations of its time.
Over the years, ELVIRA continued to undergo pivotal advancements that enhanced capabilities, durability, and integration potential.
Here are just a few:
- Micro-Doppler capability: Micro-doppler refers to movements within a moving target. Radars like ELVIRA can detect speed differences within the reflecting target, and that's how it identifies the presence of rotor blades and rotating parts. Established in ELVIRA, we now use and refine the very same technology in IRIS.
Dyneema radome: ELVIRA was our first radar system to incorporate a radome made from Dyneema®, an ultra-high-molecular-weight fibre known for its exceptional strength-to-weight ratio. The very same material is used in bulletproof vests (and IRIS). - Integration of optional camera: A modular upgrade introduced the option to mount a high-resolution camera directly atop the radome. This feature provided real-time visual confirmation alongside radar detection, enhancing situational awareness in complex monitoring scenarios.
- Transition to brushless DC drive: Later versions replaced the traditional 220V AC motor with a brushless DC (BLDC) drive. That meant a critical step in energy efficiency, as well as establishing noise-free operation.
High-efficiency power amplifier: ELVIRA’s already-respectable range benefited from successive power amplifier upgrades. As well as greater detection range, the improvements laid the groundwork for our next-generation avian radar, MAX, which inherited the same one. - Real-time API integration: ELVIRA became the first in our lineup to feature real-time APIs, supporting seamless interoperability with third-party software and control systems.
Triumphs in testing
Every engineering milestone ELVIRA made was sealed in hundreds of testing cycles. Some sent us back to the drawing board, others made leaps and bounds in formidable detection, classification and tracking powers.
From rapid prototyping under time constraints to performance trials in extreme environments, here are a few stand-out moments:
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Rapid Prototyping: ELVIRA is the only radar prototype we’ve had up and running within a day. A functional prototype was constructed in under 24 hours, bringing field tests forward significantly.
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Micro-Doppler in action: Developing a wholly new technology is always nail-biting. So, when ELVIRA detected Doppler signatures of drones in real-life testing, it's safe to say the team were elated.
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Field trials at Oberjettenberg for G7 Summit: ELVIRA was selected for integration testing at Oberjettenberg, a key location in Germany’s Alpine region, ahead of the 2015 G7 Summit. These trials ensured ELVIRA could meet the demanding standards of high-security international deployments. It did, and then some.
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First vehicle-mounted radar: By the end of 2016, ELVIRA became the first Robin radar to be integrated into a vehicle platform. This adaptation required redesigning mounting systems to stabilise the radar and allow defence and security teams to move and deploy it rapidly.
The radar that brought Robin into three dimensions
Our decision to discontinue the 2D ELVIRA underscores a laser focus on full, 360 awareness in 3D going forward. But we didn't take it lightly.
ELVIRA was our first jump into a challenging market, a proving ground for radar innovation, and a launchpad that propelled us into the defence and security space.
But as the threat landscape continues to evolve, so do we. We firmly believe that the future of drone detection is three-dimensional, where azimuth, elevation and range intersect in complex airspace with no room for doubt and no time to second-guess.
That’s why we’re pivoting innovation efforts fully to radars like IRIS, designed from the ground up to deploy faster than ever, offering 360° coverage with precise 3D insights. Importantly, IRIS inherits and amplifies every lightbulb moment that made ELVIRA a true trailblazer in the C-UAS radar space.
In that way, ELVIRA will echo on in every scan, detection, and breakthrough the next generation of Robin Radar systems make.
Our first drone radar has served its purpose brilliantly. Farewell ELVIRA — thank you for a legacy of innovation that will carry us for years to come.