{"id":5167,"date":"2025-05-27T11:32:15","date_gmt":"2025-05-27T10:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mecatron.rma.ac.be\/?page_id=5167"},"modified":"2026-01-06T11:50:55","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T10:50:55","slug":"stealth","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mecatron.rma.ac.be\/index.php\/projects\/stealth\/","title":{"rendered":"STEALTH"},"content":{"rendered":"

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European Commission<\/p>\n

European Defence Fund<\/p>\n

2023 – 2027<\/span><\/p>\n

4 M\u20ac<\/p>\n

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Lorenzo Capaldo<\/a><\/p>\n

Joseph Mimassi<\/a><\/p>\n

Maxim Vochten<\/a><\/p>\n

Geert De Cubber<\/a><\/p>\n

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Project website<\/p>\n

EDF website<\/a><\/p>\n

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STEALTH Project: Smarter, Safer Drone Swarms for Defence<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Rethinking Defence in the Age of Drones<\/h3>\n

The STEALTH project \u2014 short for Swarm Technology for Enhanced Autonomous fLight and Tactical Handling<\/strong> \u2014 is an ambitious European initiative aimed at making military drone operations safer, smarter, and more resilient.<\/p>\n

Today\u2019s drones play a crucial role in defence: they gather intelligence, monitor threats, and carry out missions in dangerous areas. But there’s a growing challenge \u2014 many drones rely on GPS (or GNSS), which can be jammed or disabled by adversaries. When this happens, drones can lose their way or even fail mid-mission.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s where STEALTH comes in.<\/p>\n

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What Is STEALTH All About?<\/h3>\n

STEALTH is developing autonomous drone swarms<\/strong> that can fly, navigate, and work together even when GPS is blocked or unavailable. These swarms won\u2019t depend on a human pilot for every move. Instead, they’ll use cutting-edge onboard technology to sense their surroundings, stay coordinated, and make decisions together \u2014 all without exposing soldiers or requiring uninterrupted radio control.<\/p>\n

This new generation of drones could change how defence forces operate in complex and hostile environments.<\/p>\n

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Why It Matters<\/h3>\n

Conflicts like the war in Ukraine have shown how important small drones have become on the battlefield \u2014 and how vulnerable they are to electronic attacks like GPS jamming. STEALTH addresses this vulnerability by creating drone systems that are:<\/p>\n

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    Autonomous<\/strong> \u2013 able to fly without remote control or GPS.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Cooperative<\/strong> \u2013 flying in swarms where drones work together as a team.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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    Resilient<\/strong> \u2013 able to complete missions even if individual drones are lost or signals are blocked.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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    How Does It Work?<\/h3>\n

    The STEALTH system is made up of two layers:<\/p>\n

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      Core Layer<\/strong>: A group of specialized drones that focus on navigation and communication. They use vision, radio signals, and advanced algorithms to figure out their position and guide the rest of the swarm.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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      Service Layer<\/strong>: Drones designed for specific tasks \u2014 like surveillance, cargo delivery, or mapping \u2014 that rely on the Core Layer to navigate safely and precisely.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      By combining their capabilities, the swarm acts like a single intelligent system. If one drone fails, the others adapt, keeping the mission on track.<\/p>\n

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      Real-World Testing<\/h3>\n

      To make sure STEALTH works not just in theory but in practice, the project will run extensive testing:<\/p>\n

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        In simulated environments<\/strong> that mimic real-world combat zones.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

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        At test sites in Spain and Germany<\/strong>, with support from European defence ministries.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        The goal is to prove the system\u2019s reliability in a variety of military missions \u2014 including intelligence gathering, tracking, and supply transport.<\/p>\n

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        A European Effort<\/h3>\n

        STEALTH brings together partners from seven EU countries<\/strong>, including research institutes and innovative tech companies. Together, they\u2019re building a system that strengthens European defence, reduces reliance on foreign technology, and opens doors for future civilian applications of drone swarms.<\/p>\n

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        Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n

        STEALTH isn\u2019t just about technology. It\u2019s about protecting lives, increasing mission success, and giving Europe a strategic edge in modern defence.<\/p>\n

        By the end of the project, the team aims to deliver a working system that defence forces across the EU can continue to test and evolve \u2014 laying the groundwork for the next generation of safe, autonomous, and collaborative drones.<\/p>\n

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