What does the future hold for drone attacks? "Angel Has Fallen" gives a chilling prediction. In the opening scene, Morgan Freeman, playing the President of the United States, is fishing on a boat. Suddenly, a swarm of drones laden with explosives appears, launching kamikaze-style attacks. The president's only choice is to dive into the lake.

The movie introduces the term “swarm” as an asymmetrical warfare strategy.

“The concerning fact is that traditional radar can’t detect these drones,” says Chu Hsiao-huang, assistant researcher at the Institute for National Defense and Security Research. “By the time you spot them with the naked eye, it’s too late.”

Drone Defense: Key to Neutralizing the Threat

Had the Secret Service in the movie been equipped with Tron Future’s T.Radar Pro, a cutting-edge drone detection tech from Taiwan, the scenario might have been different.

T.Radar Pro, weighing just 15 kg and compact as a 20-inch suitcase, can detect drones within a 120-degree range. Using only three units, it offers omnidirectional tracking of speed, direction, and altitude for multiple drones up to 5 km away.

The AI tower is not only equipped with a drone-detecting radar, but can also lock multiple drones at the same time for countermeasures, making it an effective weapon against drone attacks in modern warfare.

Consider the BAS-80 kamikaze drone recently tested in Ukraine, which can reach speeds of 130 kph. T.Radar Pro provides a two-minute window for counteractions.

“Our radar was specifically designed to counter swarm attacks,” says Tron Future founder and CEO Wang Yu-jiu during the Taipei Aerospace and Defense Technology Exhibition.

Earlier this year, the Ministry of National Defense, alongside various other national institutions, established the Drone Defense System Selection Steering Committee. Headed by Tron Future, the collaboration involved three other Taiwanese companies to create a comprehensive drone defense system.

The culmination of their efforts is the T.Interceptor, a two-meter tall autonomous defense system that the Ministry of National Defense has already invested in.

Mid-East Oil Fields and US Military Show Interest

The T.Interceptor isn't just a radar. It houses a jammer employing high-power microwaves to scramble enemy drones' electronics. If needed, it can deploy nets, lasers, or even use light ammunition to down a threat. These mechanisms can operate simultaneously or independently.

The company has piqued the interest of the US Defense Department and Middle Eastern oil engineering firms.

Steven Teng, VP of Darwin Ventures and former CTO of a satellite communications company, observes, “A single individual can transport our radar, making it incredibly versatile for global use.”

Other detection radars would have to be considerably larger to match T.Radar Pro's capabilities, according to Teng.

Tron Future's journey began just five years ago under Wang Yu-jiu, a specialist in phased array radar. His entrepreneurial spirit was kindled during a competition at National Taiwan University. He later earned his Ph.D. at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

Phased array radar is revolutionary. Wang's mentor, Ali Hajimiri, led the charge in integrating the phased array into system-on-a-chip designs, setting a new industry standard.

“Finding vendors in Taiwan proficient in both arrays and chips is a tall order,” Teng comments.

Despite the radar industry's stagnation over the past twenty years, Tron Future has managed to stand out.

From Space to Drones: Catering to Global Needs

Tron Future founder and CEO Wang Yu-jiu.

Wang's entrepreneurial journey is far from ordinary. After obtaining his doctorate in 2010, he taught electrical engineering at National Chiao Tung University. His career took a turn in 2015 when Elon Musk unveiled the Starlink project.

Wang, realizing the potential of the satellite communications sector, founded Tron Future in 2018. Within months, he secured orders from the Taiwan Space Agency for satellite communications and radar components.

While initially focusing on satellite communications, Tron Future swiftly pivoted to drone detection after recognizing its global demand.

Last year, when a civilian drone from China trespassed into Taiwan's airspace, Tron Future's radar, stationed in Kinmen, detected nearly 100 drones from the PRC within a month.

This feat led to an order from the Ministry of National Defense, elevating the company's profile.

Tron Future's innovation doesn't stop at hardware. They introduced the concept of sparse arrays to drone radar, combining fewer chips with AI algorithms to maintain optimal performance. This not only reduces costs but also makes the system portable and compatible with household generators.

Kuan-Neng Chen, chief scientist, notes, “Unlike many academics engrossed in their tech, Wang constantly strategizes for market deployment.”

Wang has always championed the profitability of directly transforming technology into tangible systems over merely manufacturing chips. As a result, he proactively honed his skills in algorithms and product design.

Caltech's alumni network played a significant role in shaping Tron Future. Many of its key players, including Borching Su, Chun-Yang Chen, and others, are all from the renowned institution.

Remarkably, Tron Future succeeded in luring three Caltech alumni professors away from Taiwan's elite universities. Their expertise has been instrumental in driving the company's progress in 3D integrated circuits, advanced packaging technology, and chip design.

Today, Tron Future is leveraging the past half-decade's strategic maneuvers. Looking ahead, they aim to delve into low-Earth orbit satellite communication payloads and vehicle-mounted low-Earth orbit communication, setting their course for the future.

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Translated by David Toman
Uploaded by Ian Huang