[IshKebab]

Yeah I think it is at every defense show, but that doesn't mean it makes it to the front lines. Defense show = super expensive. This is cheap.

[thomashabets2]

Homing in on sources of electromagnetic transmissions has been a thing since at least the BV246 in 1943.

The first phased array systems date back to 1905.

We have had some time to productionize this.

Hell, the "PA" in "PATRIOT missile" stands for "Phased Array".

[IshKebab]

I'm not saying it's new technology. The patriot missile costs $4m each. None of the drones Ukraine is using have this tech.

The new thing is that it's available for purchase for a reasonable price.

[shakow]

Why would they put phased arrays on UAVs? They are typically using beam-forming antennas + cheap gimbals for the same purpose.

Phased arrays are nice when you want to scan a large angular surface very fast; when it comes down to optimizing RF radiation toward your ground station, a gimbal is cheaper, simpler, and works fine.

[thomashabets2]

While it doesn't produce an image, not having 2D data, KrakenSDR has some cool direction finding too.

[shakow]

> Defense show = super expensive

Really depends; there you can see both Lockmart exhibiting multi-billions project, and 150m after some Serbian company selling jet engines for UAVs for a couple hundreds.