Drone killer DroneShield has been invited to take part in a British war simulation exercise while fellow ASX drone stock Mobilicom has won a US contract.

DroneShield (ASX:DRO) makes anti-drone devices such as the DroneGun — a rifle-style, battery-powered product designed to knock out enemy drone models by interfering with their electronics, while Mobilicom (ASX:MOB) makes communications equipment for drones and robotics purposes.

DroneShield told investors this morning it had taken part in the British Army’s 2018 Army Warfighting Experiment, Autonomous Warrior.

It provided its DroneSentinel system to the British Army as a quick-to-deploy, counter-drone system to enable troops to detect and defend against hostile drones. It is the second time this year the company has participated in a military training exercise.

It was a month-long exercise — featuring the British Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, the US Army and the UK Defence Ministry — in which British soldiers tested the effectiveness of robotic and autonomous systems on the battlefield.

Shares in DroneShield (ASX:DRO) over the past year.

“We were tasked with training and advising British troops on the deployment and operation of our DroneSentinel system,” DroneShield chief Oleg Vornik said.

“This allowed the troops to independently operate and integrate the capability, using the system to autonomously defend against drones and also inform commanders about the presence of threat drones.”

British defence minister Mark Lancaster said the exercise was designed to keep the Army ahead on a global scale.

“Our Armed Forces continue to push the limits of innovative warfare to ensure that we stay ahead of any adversaries or threats faced on the battlefield,” he said.

“Autonomous Warrior sets an ambitious vision for Army operations in the 21st Century as we integrate drones, unmanned vehicles and personnel into a world-class force for decades to come.”

Mobilicom contract

Meanwhile Mobilicom has secured an initial purchase order with a US robotics company worth “in excess of $200,000”.

The undisclosed customer was said to be a “unique designer within the robotics industry, with its solutions designed for a variety of industries including homeland security, mining, oil and gas, aerospace, maritime, petrochemical, public safety and construction”.

“The company has been developing robotics for over 25 years which can perform highly complex tasks in areas where human safety is at risk,” Mobilicom chief Oren Elkayam said.

“The purchase of Mobilicom’s MCU-30 Lite units by a unique and innovative robotics industry player highlights the broad capabilities and growing interest in Mobilicom’s cutting-edge technology.

“Not only is the purchase order a vote of confidence in Mobilicom’s technology but it significantly expands Mobilicom’s international reach. We expect to increase commercial production of our MCU-30 Lite unit as the company serves significant new and expanded markets.”

The MCU-30 Lite unit provides 4G combined with Mobile MESH, IP communications and delivers ad-hoc direct wireless mobile communication including HD video, data and VoIP.

Stockhead took a look at small cap drone stocks on the ASX a couple of weeks ago. Click here for an overview of how they are tracking.

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