VU Researchers to Contribute to Creating Advanced Solutions for Combating Smuggling Balloons

At the end of October, the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation announced a EUR 1 million programme to find a solution to combat smugglers’ balloons entering Lithuania’s territory, and on Monday, the chosen solutions were revealed. One of those was a solution proposed by ‘IT Logika’ together with Vilnius University, ‘Integrated Optics’, and ‘Arx Polaris’ – a smart airspace protection system (IOEAS).

‘Today, we are awarding three solutions that come the closest to practical implementation; they were submitted by ‘IT Logika’, ‘Teltonika’, and ‘Dangaus Šviesos’,’ said Edvinas Grikšas, Minister of the Economy and Innovation, on Monday.
As reported by the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation, the first stage will conclude with each enterprise receiving EUR 100 thousand, and at the second stage, a call to further develop the ideas will be announced.

The focus of the system created by VU, together with the companies, is on fixed-wing aircraft that can operate at high altitudes and on fast, low-altitude aircraft. An integrated laser-optical sensor would allow targets to be detected and recognised at any time of day, and a high-power laser could safely shoot down multiple balloons during the same flight. Object trajectory prediction and recognition would be carried out using artificial intelligence algorithms. Real-time information would be provided by DBOX drone base stations, radars, and other geographically distributed sensors.

‘We are pleased that enterprises have recognised the experience and expertise of Vilnius University researchers, which will enable us to strengthen interdisciplinary and inter-institutional cooperation by developing a solution which is currently crucial for the public,’ said Prof. Rimantas Vaicekauskas, Director of the Institute of Computer Science of VU Faculty of Mathematics and Informatics.

The ‘Teltonika EMS’ consortium, consisting of ‘ADV Defense’, ‘Quantum Systems’, and ‘Defsecintel’, intends to create an autonomous airspace and border surveillance and protection system that will operate 24/7 to detect and identify air threats – balloons and drones – around the clock, and when necessary, destroy targets. Using Lithuanian-made takeover drones, the system would combine sensors, unmanned aerial vehicles, and control centres to create a single operational view which would be gradually transmitted to Lithuanian institutions.

The consortium represented by ‘Dangaus Šviesos’ is set to develop ‘Dobis’ – a dirigible-based balloon interception system. This system would integrate various technologies to bring down illegal balloons to the ground in a safe manner.