Tekever partners with IMSAR to integrate advanced radars and data processing on its UAVs

Portuguese unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) specialist Tekever announced on 10 February 2025 that it had entered into a two-year partnership agreement with IMSAR: a US-based company that designs, manufactures and supports very low size, weight and power (SWaP) airborne synthetic aperture radars.

The collaboration will focus on integrating IMSAR’s radar systems with Tekever UAVs, leveraging the strengths and capabilities of both companies to offer airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance solutions.

Under the agreement Tekever will support IMSAR with the development and refinement of tactics and capabilities from lessons learned on the front lines in Ukraine, as well as explore innovative ways to optimise the physical installation and software integration of IMSAR’s line of radars into current and future Tekever product designs. The agreement also includes a valuable preferred-partner support package and volume pricing options from IMSAR, as well as a bilateral commitment to marketing support for combined capabilities offered by Tekever and IMSAR.

Both companies are working to combine the features of IMSAR’s Lisa3D mission management suite with Tekever’s Atlas web-based UAV mission enhancer to produce a more cohesive operator experience during each phase of maritime surveillance operations. IMSAR radars provide wide area vessel detection and moving-target tracking at long stand-off ranges, from which precision cross cues are assigned in real time to other onboard sensors like electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) cameras that are used to further identify targets. They can thus better equip Tekever’s UAVs to provide state-of-the art surveillance solutions, expand operational reach and optimise data collection in remote wide areas both on land and sea.

The partnership builds on a proven relationship between the two companies, highlighted by a recent series of successful flight demonstrations of IMSAR’s NSP-5 synthetic aperture radar with Tekever’s AR5 UAV.

“During these demonstrations it was clear that the AR5 with NSP-5 on board is a force-multiplier, detecting more targets per hour and enabling more EO/IR time on target than any other UAV in its class,” Tekever stated in a company press release.

“The partnership with IMSAR is a game-changer, propelling us to the forefront of radar innovation,” Tekever CEO Ricardo Mendes was quoted as saying. “By combining IMSAR’s cutting-edge technology with our UAS capabilities, we’re pushing the boundaries of surveillance and reconnaissance missions and preparing for future radar integrations. This partnership also positions us to meet the growing demand for advanced solutions in complex and dynamic mission environments, such as military operations and border surveillance.”