Clear Align, Premier Technology Partner in Counter-UAS Defense

Shaping the Future of Drone Defense

The rising challenge posed by unmanned aerial systems (UAS) demands more than isolated fixes—it calls for a coordinated, multi-layered defense architecture designed to adapt across evolving threat environments.

At Clear Align, we approach counter-UAS (C‑UAS) not as a single-point product, but as a networked and modular capability customized for unique applications. Our systems begin with precision detection—leveraging advanced optical, infrared, and radar sensors—to detect, track, and identify threats in real time. From there, we enable mission-tailored response through a range of integrated countermeasures, including both electronic disruption and scalable, low-collateral effectors.

Our C5ISR platform-centric model supports interoperability across air and ground domains, and is built to align with Department of Defense initiatives prioritizing open architecture, modularity, and rapid deployment. The result is a fully connected defensive ecosystem where data drives action and every asset contributes to a synchronized operational picture.

Clear Align’s technologies are actively shaping next-generation drone defense strategies—delivering clarity, speed, and precision in the face of unpredictable threats.

No longer hypothetical, the threat is present. Incidents of drones breaching secure perimeters—from power stations to military bases—are increasing in both frequency and complexity.

According to a MarketsandMarkets report cited by SecurityWorldMarket, the anti‑drone industry was valued at USD 2 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to USD 7 billion by 2029, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26.7% over that period, so this is a market to watch

What is C-UAS?

C-UAS stands for Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems. It refers to platforms and strategies used to detect, track, identify, and neutralize unauthorized drones. C-UAS solutions combine radar, electro-optical sensors, radio frequency detection, and countermeasures—such as jamming or interception—to protect critical infrastructure, military assets, and public spaces from drone threats.

Understanding the Threat: From Toy to Tactical

Drones today are not monolithic. A unmanned aircraft system threat can span the spectrum including small drones from hobbyist repurposed for surveillance, to commercially available fixed-wing systems adapted for payload delivery, and swarming autonomous drones designed to overwhelm traditional defenses. Each class presents unique challenges in detection, tracking, classification, and response and presents a growing threat.

UAS may be used for intelligence gathering, staging attacks, or simply testing the readiness of defense systems. Their small size, low altitude, and irregular flight paths can make them especially difficult to identify with traditional radar or visual surveillance alone.

Counter UAS: A Systems Approach

The concept of C-UAS has evolved from a single-tool mindset to a systems-of-systems architecture. At Clear Align, our belief is clear: an effective drone defense capability must integrate a layered strategy of sensors, artificial intelligence, and modular countermeasures, all managed through robust command and control (C2) infrastructure.

Sensors and Detection: The Eyes of the System

The detection layer begins with multi-sensor fusion—merging radar, electro-optical (EO), mid-wave infrared (MWIR), acoustic, and radio-frequency data to identify potential threats in real time. These technologies work together to build a reliable air picture, allowing for the rapid detection, tracking, classification, and identification of objects as benign, suspicious, or hostile.

Clear Align’s expertise in EO/IR imaging and high-contrast target tracking allows our systems to operate in degraded visual environments, including haze, smoke, and urban clutter—environments where most systems falter. Our deployed VZ 1200 surveillance system provides one of the longest range sensors ideal for detecting, tracking, classifying and identifying small UAS at great distances.

Countermeasures and Effectors: Response with Precision

Once a threat is classified and identified, the system must provide data accurate enough for the system to react either autonomously or with human in the loop. The Clear Align system provides Az/El positions accurately enough to direct countermeasures ranging from soft-kill techniques, such as GPS spoofing or RF jamming, to hard-kill options, including net guns, kinetic proximity fused interceptors, and directed energy systems including high power microwaves. Increasingly, the demand for low-collateral, non-kinetic effectors—particularly in urban or civilian-rich environments—is guiding the next generation of product development.

Our inclusion in the Department of Defense’s Replicator 2 program—a fast-track initiative for deploying low-collateral drone intercept technologies—demonstrates Clear Align’s alignment with this strategic shift. Replicator 2 prioritizes technologies that reduce risk to surrounding assets and populations, precisely the domain in which we excel.

Command and Control: Decision Superiority in Seconds

Data without orchestration is noise. That’s why advanced C2 systems are central to C-UAS deployment. Clear Align’s systems are designed for modularity and open-architecture integration, enabling seamless data fusion and rapid operator decision-making. Our user interfaces prioritize situational awareness, providing warfighters and operators with fast, actionable intelligence.

We are proud to have demonstrated this capability during Demo Five at Yuma Proving Ground, where Clear Align was one of only eight companies to participate in the Pentagon's rigorous and realistic swarm C-UAS field evaluation to date. Facing simulated drone swarms in dynamic conditions, our imaging, detection, and integration technologies were put to the test—and delivered.

Defending the Homeland and the Battlefield

The applications for C-UAS span a wide range of mission sets: securing borders, defending power infrastructure, protecting forward operating bases, and preventing espionage. Increasingly, our clients seek deployable, field-adaptable solutions that can scale across land, sea, and air domains.

Government and military organizations are not the only stakeholders. Airports, event venues, nuclear facilities, and correctional institutions all face drone-related vulnerabilities. As regulatory frameworks mature, demand is growing for turnkey, exportable C-UAS packages that combine reliability with compliance.

The Road Ahead: Autonomy, AI, Integrated for Tower and Mobile Applications

Future drone defense systems will rely on advances in autonomy, AI, and data integration. At Clear Align, we are investing in next-generation capabilities that move beyond detection and response—toward predictive analytics, swarm detection, and AI-enhanced sensor fusion. The goal is to turn vast volumes of unstructured sensor data into knowledge, then into immediate operational advantage.

We are also advancing technologies that address challenges posed by drone swarms, multi-domain command control, and the need for rapid deployment in unpredictable operational theaters. Our development teams, based in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, and Florida, are actively collaborating with defense primes and federal agencies to continue to research and test new capabilities.

Conclusion: More Than a Product—A Platform for National Security in the Sky

Clear Align does not merely build sensors or components. We design and deliver full-spectrum counter unmanned aerial systems, for the most complex defense challenges of our time. From Pentagon recognition to field-tested performance, our counter UAS solutions represent a convergence of innovation, mission understanding, and rapid adaptability designed to detect threats early.

The threat of UAS will continue to evolve. So must the defense. As national security shifts toward faster, smaller, and more autonomous threats, it will be those companies that build systems—not just products—that make the greatest impact. At Clear Align, we are building exactly that.