Passive Drone Detection for UK Military and Police | ThirdEye Meduza X
May 1, 2026
Small uncrewed aerial systems (sUAS) are now an everyday feature of the modern battlespace
and domestic security environment. Quadcopters and small fixed-wing platforms can provide
adversaries with cheap, long-range eyes in the sky or a delivery mechanism for disruptive and
potentially lethal payloads.
For commanders in the field and law-enforcement leaders at home, this creates a constant
challenge: how do you detect and track small drones early, without increasing your own
electromagnetic or visual signature?
Viking Arms Defence is now bringing a new option to UK military and police users: the ThirdEye
Meduza X, a passive, 360° electro-optical drone detection system designed specifically for
tactical and protective operations.
What is Meduza X?
Meduza X is a stand-alone drone detection system that combines:
● A cooled MWIR thermal camera (1280×1024 array, 10 μm pixels)
● A high-resolution visible CMOS camera (5328×3040)
● A unique rotating mirror assembly that rapidly scans the full horizon
● On-board edge computing analytics for instant recognition and tracking
Housed in a rugged 12 kg main unit mounted on a tripod and supplied with transport case,
power solutions and rugged computing options, Meduza X is built from the outset for
deployment in demanding field conditions.
Because the system is entirely passive, no radar transmissions, no RF interrogation, it is well
suited to covert, contested or sensitive environments where additional emissions are
undesirable.
360° coverage with continuous scanning
At the heart of Meduza X is its rotating mirror, which enables the system to scan a full 360°
around the operator in just a few seconds. In its baseline configuration, Meduza X covers a
vertical field of view of approximately 5.8°, adjustable between –2.5° and 30° above the horizon.
This approach delivers two important benefits:
1. Continuous all-round surveillance – rather than staring at a single sector, Meduza X
is constantly revisiting every azimuth.
2. Gap-filling capability – while other sensors or effectors are focused on a specific
direction, Meduza X keeps sweeping the wider sky, helping to catch threats attempting
to exploit perceived blind spots.
For operators, the result is a persistent visual and thermal “dome” of awareness around the
asset, patrol base, public venue or tactical HQ they are protecting.
Advanced analytics, low false alarms
Detection is only useful if it can be trusted. Meduza X uses on-board analytics tuned for the
shapes, signatures and behaviours of small drones. According to operational testing by leading
users, the system achieves around 90% positive detection on typical quadcopter and fixed-
wing threats, with a false-alarm rate below 1%.
These analytics also enable automatic tracking, so once a threat is detected Meduza X can
continue to follow it across the sky, updating heading and position as the situation develops.
Detection and recognition ranges will vary based on conditions and target type, but the
combination of MWIR and visible channels gives the system the reach needed to spot and
classify a wide range of drone sizes, from small quadcopters to larger fixed-wing platforms at
tactical stand-off distances.
Designed for field deployment
For military and police users, mobility and ease of use are critical. Meduza X is supplied with:
● Tripod for rapid setup
● Li-ion battery options (approx. 19.1 Ah @ 24 V or 40 Ah @ 25.2 V) for untethered
operation
● Power adaptors and harnesses for vehicle or mains power
● Rugged computer options and cables
● Wheeled hard case for protected transport between locations
The system is rated to operate in a wide temperature range suitable for most UK and overseas
deployments, with options for nitrogen purging where required by the operating environment.
Flexible employment and integration
One of the major strengths of Meduza X is its flexibility in how it can be employed. As
described in the system documentation, there are several core modes:
● Stand-alone operation – Meduza X can be deployed independently, providing the
operator with visual and thermal identification and local alerts without needing any
external infrastructure.
● Integration into complex systems – thanks to Ethernet connectivity and a well-defined
software interface, Meduza X can feed its detections and video into existing command-
and-control, jamming or interception solutions, helping to close the detect-track-
defeat chain.
● “Enslavement” to RF and radar – Meduza X can be cued by wider-area RF detectors
or radars, using its optics and analytics to confirm and classify threats within a broader
protection “bubble.”
● Embedded interceptor support – the system’s tracking data can be used to support a
range of mitigation systems.
This makes Meduza X suitable both as a stand-alone capability for smaller units or sites,
and as a high-value sensor within a layered counter-UAS architecture for larger
organisations.
Where Meduza X can help UK users
Potential applications for UK defence and security customers include:
● Deployed bases and tactical HQs – providing early warning of drone activity over OPs,
FOBs and temporary locations.
● Police firearms & CT operations – giving firearms and specialist teams passive
awareness of drones around high-risk sites, cordons and VIP locations.
● Critical national infrastructure and airfields – enhancing existing security measures
around airports, ports, power stations and other key assets.
● Prison and border security – aiding the detection of drones used for smuggling or
reconnaissance.
● Training and experimentation – acting as a realistic detection system in live counter-
UAS exercises.
Talk to Viking Arms Defence about Meduza X
Viking Arms Defence is proud to bring the ThirdEye Meduza X to UK military and police
customers as part of our growing portfolio of specialist defence technologies.
We can support:
● Demonstrations and user trials
● Technical briefings for requirements staff and programme teams
● Advice on integrating Meduza X with existing C-UAS and security architectures
If you would like to explore how Meduza X could support your operations, contact the Viking
Arms Defence team today at pmd@vikingarms.com or speak to your usual Viking Arms
representative.
