Utah-based Fortem Technologies will deploy its autonomous drone hunters to protect venues during this year’s Fifa World Cup football tournament in Qatar.

The company is working with the Qatari Ministry of Interior’s Safety & Security Operations Committee (SSOC) command and control system to protect against drone threats.

With distribution partner Smart Communication Systems, Fortem will provide counter drone technology for the SSOC during the major football tournament in Qatar from November 21 to December 18, 2022.

“Fortem provides world class technology and services,” said Rashid Fahad Alali, security systems officer in the SSOC. “We are pleased to partner with Fortem Technologies as an anchor vendor to enhance our security around Doha.”

The Fortem SkyDome is an end-to-end, counter drone option that detects, defeats and protects against rogue drones. SkyDome classifies threats and mitigates them autonomously with its interceptor drone, DroneHunter. At the heart of the system is TrueView radar, a compact, AI-enabled, networkable radar designed to perform in urban environments and crowded, public places such as sports arenas and airports.

“The government of Qatar understands the importance of providing comprehensive security from the ground to the air for the Fifa World Cup matches and beyond,” said Timothy Bean, CEO of Fortem Technologies. “We are thrilled to be able to partner with Smart Communication Systems to provide the best counter-drone security to ensure the safety of players, sports fans and everyone involved in putting together one of the most viewed global events in decades.”

Walid Chahine, managing partner of Smart Communication Systems, added: “After much consideration of companies around the globe, Fortem’s offerings outshined all competition. The world is at a point where enhanced security is becoming the norm, and we’re determined to stay ahead of the curve.” 

Fortem Technologies specialises in airspace security and defence for detecting and defeating dangerous drones. Through an ecosystem of distributed radar, AI at-the-edge, deep sensor integration and autonomous drone capture, it monitors, protects and defends the world’s corridors, venues, infrastructures, borders and regions from dangerous or malicious drone threats. The same ecosystem is accelerating the safety of the world’s airspace for urban air mobility.

Based in Pleasant Grove, Utah, the company is privately held and backed by Toshiba, Boeing, DCVC, Signia Venture Partners and others.