Integrated counter-UAS defense demonstrated at U.S. Army exercise
NewsJanuary 23, 2026
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. Mission-critical systems company Picogrid recently supported U.S. Army testing efforts at the National Training Center (NTC -- Fort Irwin, California) in the area of counter-uncrewed aerial system (C-UAS) defense, as the Army seeks to modernize its UAS efforts.
Picogrid's announcement described how it worked during the demonstration with the 1st Cavalry Division to show how rapid deployment of sensor networks through an open integration layer can enhance force protection and maneuver awareness in the area of UASs and C-UASs. Building on initial sensor testing, Picogrid leveraged its integrated software and hardware stack to orchestrate different systems through its integration layer, called Legion.
During the demo, it took only several weeks for Legion to facilitate the integration of five different sensor products -- including systems from DroneShield, R2 Wireless, Squarehead, Echodyne, and CHAOS Industries -- whch then enabled UAS detections from multiple sensor types to be fused, correlated, and shared.
The company's description stated that its multisensor approach gave operators a more complete and resilient understanding of the airspace and demonstrated how layered sensing can enhance situational awareness and operational resilience in contested environments. The integrated setup also enabled the 1st Cavalry unit to experiment with how sensors are leveraged in dynamic environments.
Picogrid's role in the demo also showed that data generated during the rotation could contribute to the Army’s broader command-and-control ecosystem: Sensor data was converted into Integrated Sensor Architecture formats and passed into Forward Area Air Defense Command and Control (FAAD-C2) systems, which enables information collected at the tactical edge to populate common operating pictures used across the force.
Picogrid officials say that they plan to continue supporting future exercises and training events as the Army advances its modernization efforts.
