EchoFlight
Sub-kilogram airborne ESA radar enabling FAA-approvable detect-and-avoid for BVLOS UAV operations.
EchoFlight is Echodyne's airborne radar designed specifically for unmanned aircraft that need to see and avoid other airspace users — the detect-and-avoid (DAA) function required for beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations under civil aviation frameworks. It is the lightest short-range airborne ESA radar in Echodyne's portfolio, weighing under 1 kg (817 g published) and drawing under 50 W — a power and weight budget compatible with medium-class fixed-wing and multi-rotor UAV platforms without significant payload penalty.
In terms of detection performance, EchoFlight tracks small quadcopter-class intruders to approximately 750 m and light manned aircraft (Cessna class) to approximately 2 km, delivering 4D situational awareness in azimuth, elevation, range, and Doppler. Angular accuracy is better than 1° azimuth and 1.5° elevation under standard tracking, improving to 0.5° in precision mode; range accuracy is under 3.25 m. Operating temperature range is -40°C to +75°C with IP67 weather protection, enabling deployment in the desert-heat and sand-environment conditions characteristic of GCC UAV operations.
The radar has been integrated into the American Aerospace Technologies Inc. AiRanger UAV — the first unmanned aircraft to receive an FAA BVLOS waiver with EchoFlight as the certified DAA sensor, establishing a regulatory precedent for commercial operators pursuing national aviation authority approvals elsewhere. For operators in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, or Qatar building BVLOS programmes at airports, logistics hubs, or energy infrastructure, EchoFlight provides a documented path to regulatory compliance, not just a capability claim.
Technical specifications.
| Angular accuracy (standard) | <1° az / <1.5° el |
| Angular accuracy (precision) | <0.5° az / <0.5° el |
| Range accuracy | <3.25 m |
| Quadcopter tracking range (typical) | ~750 m |
| Light aircraft tracking range (typical) | ~2 km |
| Primary application | Airborne detect-and-avoid (DAA) for BVLOS UAV |
| Power consumption | 45 W (< 50 W) |
| Operating temperature | -40°C to +75°C |
| Ingress protection | IP67 |
| Weight | 817 g (< 1 kg) |
| Dimensions | 18.7 × 12 × 4 cm |
Use cases.
- ›BVLOS cargo and logistics drone operations at airports, seaports, and warehouse campuses requiring regulatory DAA compliance
- ›Inspection UAVs operating over oil, gas, and power infrastructure where manned traffic may be present
- ›Counter-UAS interceptor drones needing autonomous airspace deconfliction before and during intercept runs
- ›Search-and-rescue or surveillance UAVs operating in non-segregated airspace alongside general aviation
- ›Advanced air mobility (AAM) and air taxi vehicles requiring certifiable, lightweight airspace awareness sensors