
Arlo Industries builds passive sensor networks that track drones and missiles without radar.
Arlo Industries builds Mentat, a passive distributed sensing network that tracks aerial objects in three dimensions without emitting radar signals. The system uses low-cost cooperative nodes to accurately pinpoint small targets such as stealthy drones and missiles, remaining invisible to the threats it detects.
Mentat integrates with existing counter-drone and air-defense systems, serving as a sensing layer that can be deployed across a wide geographic area. The company has demonstrated the technology with military operators in active conflict environments and maintains partnerships with defense organizations in the United States, Ukraine, Finland, and Estonia.
The global counter-drone market is expanding rapidly as asymmetric threats from cheap commercial and military drones reshape modern warfare. Current active radar systems are expensive, centralized, and vulnerable to electronic warfare and anti-radiation weapons. Passive sensing represents a paradigm shift that could complement or replace legacy radar infrastructure.
Arlo Industries targets the sensing gap below radar coverage where swarms of cheap drones and cruise missiles operate. The company has demonstrated its technology with Ukrainian military operators and is building partnerships across NATO-aligned defense markets. As drone threats proliferate, demand for distributed, resilient detection systems is expected to grow significantly.
Mentat's passive sensing architecture eliminates radar emissions, making it invisible to electronic warfare and anti-radiation missiles. Unlike centralized active radar systems, the distributed mesh of low-cost nodes provides resilient coverage and can track small targets below conventional radar thresholds. The system has been validated in active conflict environments with the Ukrainian military, demonstrating real-world operational readiness.
Arlo Industries' approach serves as a sensing layer that integrates with existing counter-drone and air-defense systems, acting as a force multiplier rather than a replacement. The technology targets the growing threat of cheap drone swarms and cruise missiles that exploit weaknesses in centralized active sensing infrastructure.