Northumberland drone capture tech company OpenWorks Engineering is pioneering new techniques in Artificial Intelligence (AI) to create a new range of autonomous products.
Stocksfield-based OpenWorks was launched six years ago by a group of engineers who brought together their collective expertise from other businesses to create SkyWall, a handheld piece of kit which captures rogue drones.
The company has since seen its drone catching systems deployed all over the world, having been enlisted by a number of government authorities, militaries and private security organisations to protect the likes of airports, major infrastructure, the Pentagon and even world leaders at summits, including the last two US Presidents.
After receiving large orders in recent years, the innovative company is now harnessing the power of AI to create new autonomous products, to fuel further grow the business and expand its offerings into new markets.
Despite only releasing the first product in February, it is already exporting the technology across Europe and North America.
The company said the decision to bring AI technology development into the core of OpenWorks has opened possibilities to apply the latest academic research directly to real-world problems in optical detection and tracking.
The core technology has been applied to a module that can turn any camera system into an advanced autonomous module in any security system.
OpenWorks has also developed a new deep-learning artificial intelligence for use in counter-drone systems, including its autonomous SkyWall Auto system, which allows the operator to capture drones at the press of a button.
Most Read
It said the unique system was recently evaluated by several European militaries and uses computer vision techniques to lock on to drones.
As well as continuing to develop its optical detection and tracking capability, OpenWorks has plans to develop a number of products that will disrupt the market in technology areas in the defence and security sector.
A recruitment drive has also been launched for engineers with AI experience to help with the development, as well as reaching out to additional partners in the sector to help accelerate their commercialisation.
Chris Down, managing director at OpenWorks, said: “We’re proud of the early successes we’ve had with our AI-based products and the knowledge base that we have built here in the North East. We’re excited about the jobs that will be created as a result of this new venture for OpenWorks as we expand into new, large and exciting markets.”
The move comes three months after OpenWorks secured large orders from a competitive EU tender for its counter terrorism systems. Last year it was commissioned by the US Army for a training session in Italy, and the firm has since secured orders for its SkyWall net capture system through a tender process to become part of a significant European framework.