Navy engineers train Marine Corps unmanned air vehicle operators on how to use Guardian, a ground-based detect and avoid system.

Engineers from the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division train U.S. Marine Corps unmanned air vehicle operators on how to use Guardian, a ground-based detect and avoid system developed at the warfare center designed to make airspaces where manned and unmanned systems fly safer.

Guardian Ground Based Detect and Avoid System

Guardian: Airspace Safety for Unmanned Aircraft

Guardian is a ground-based system developed by the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division to help unmanned aircraft safely fly alongside piloted aircraft in shared airspace. It improves safety by detecting nearby aircraft and alerting operators before a potential collision can occur and is the Navy's only ground-based detect and avoid system that meets FAA performance standards for unmanned systems.

The system uses multiple approved sensors to track aircraft in real time. It displays their positions and projected flight paths, giving operators a clear picture of what’s happening in the sky around them. Guardian provides visual and audio alerts to help unmanned aircraft stay safely separated from others.

Unlike older methods that required closing off airspace or using chase planes, Guardian allows unmanned aircraft to operate more freely and safely. It supports joint operations and helps expand where and how unmanned systems can fly.

Guardian does not interfere with aircraft systems and works independently of flight control software. It’s designed to be flexible and can be used with different aircraft types in different locations.

Certified by NAVAIR in 2023, Guardian is currently in use across all services of the U.S. military and is being evaluated by the Federal Aviation Administration as a new way to meet safety requirements for unmanned flight.

Where It’s Used

  • U.S. Navy operations at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, including MQ-9 Reaper, MQ-25A Stingray, and RQ-23 Tigershark testing

  • U.S. Marine Corps operations at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point including MQ-9 Reaper

  • U.S. Army helicopter and UAS operations at Redstone Arsenal

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