Doodle Labs launches Sense interference avoidance features

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Doodle Labs’ Sense technology helps robotic systems like drones remain connected when they encounter signal interference in the field. | Source: Doodle Labs

Doodle Labs has released Sense, a new feature set for the company’s multi-band Mesh Rider Radios that addresses the challenges of interference for long-range, mission-critical robotics, and connected teams applications for a more resilient datalink. 

Sense aims to help dismounted connected teams and advanced robotic systems like drones and uncrewed ground vehicles stay connected when they encounter signal interference in the field. This interference can threaten connectivity and hinder performance and can include anything from interference from WiFi devices in urban areas or active jamming attempts in the field of battle.

These lapses in connectivity can interrupt the transmission of critical payloads, like video or scan data, or even command-and-control of a robotic system. Sense is engineered to actively monitor in-band interference and automatically switch channels or frequency bands to find the best-performing frequency. 

When combined with Doodle Labs’ Mesh Rider’s Low Probability of Intercept/Low Probability of Detection (LPI/LPD) waveform, this new feature set ensures uninterrupted communication and enhances the operational efficiency of advanced systems in fields like defense, public safety, and commercial industries. 

When Sense is activated, the Mesh Rider Radio scans for interference and background noise across all frequency bands, utilizing the full potential of packing multiple frequency bands into a single radio. Once the node on the network is deployed into the field, Sense continually monitors the health of its LPI/LPD datalink signal. 

If the datalink starts to experience significant interference, Sense automatically shifts to a better-performing channel with the current band, or to a different band altogether. This maintains connectivity while also optimizing performance during the mission. 

Using multiple frequency bands not only facilitates global deployment in areas with differing legal frequency allocation but also significantly expands the radio’s ability to avoid interference or jamming by utilizing all available spectrums with multiple frequency bands. 

The system is aimed at commercial customers like drones and UGV OEMs, offering them the enhanced ability to operate in densely populated and RF noisy urban environments. The system is also battle-tested in Ukraine, where it’s helping avoid interference caused by active jamming. 

Sense is an advanced paid feature that will be available as a firmware upgrade to all Doodle Labs Mesh Rider Radio customers.