MoD funds Sentinel Photonics for sensor detecting laser threats

Author: EIS Release Date: Mar 29, 2022

The UK government has awarded a £180K grant to Sentinel Photonics to develop a sensor to detect and identify laser threats in civilian contexts.

 

Sentinel Photonics funded by MoD for sensor detecting laser threats

 

The original technology was created by the Dstl (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory) for military use – to detect and assess the threat levels of lasers deployed against personnel, aircraft and vehicles.

 

This technology has now been licensed to Sentinel, by Ploughshare (a company itself owned by the MoD), to explore opportunities for its civilian use. For example, as a method of detection and threat level assessment when lasers are shone at commercial aircraft, air ambulances, or at sporting events.

 

The government says the technology could potentially be installed in public areas to detect such use of lasers, thus acting as a deterrent against what is illegal use.

 

 

 

The pot of money from which the grant comes is the “Knowledge Assets Grant Fund”. This is awarded via the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and offers grants of up to £250K to support the commercialisation or expanded use of public sector knowledge assets.

 

Basically, the idea is to realise the potential of the government-owned IP and technology for the wider benefit of the UK.