By Sarah Young
HORSHAM, England, Oct 20 (Reuters) - British defence companyChess Dynamics expects to sign the first customer for itsdrone-downing technology in the next six months, opening up anew market for its long-distance video and tracking devices.
Chess Dynamics is part of a consortium of three Britishcompanies which created the Anti-UAV Defence System (AUDS) lastyear in response to South Korea's need to control enemy dronesentering its air space.
"We expect to get an order in the next six months," businessdevelopment manager Julian Moir said in an interview, followingrecent trials of the product in France, Britain and the UnitedStates.
As well as drone use rising on the battlefield, unmannedaerial vehicles (UAVs) are increasingly being employedcommercially to film events and for agriculture, and byindividuals for recreation as well as malicious purposes.
Their use is of growing concern to governments which want tobe able to prevent accidents, attacks and espionage.
In Britain and Poland, there have been "near miss" incidentsover the last 18 months when drones have flown close topassenger aeroplanes at airports. Earlier this year, dronescaused alarm in France when several flights were spottedoperating over sensitive sites in Paris.
AUDS can detect a drone from up to 8 kilometres away, trackit and then disrupt its communications to force it to theground, and Moir said the technology could be used in conflictsituations and to protect airports and nuclear power stations.
The anti-drone product will help Horsham, southernEngland-based Chess Dynamics grow beyond its main naval customerbase which accounts for about three quarters of current revenuesof around 10 million pounds ($15.5 million).
Its naval vision and tracking devices are used on shipsbelonging to the British, French, Thai and Omani fleets and theprivately-held, venture capital-backed firm's customers includeBAE Systems, Lockheed Martin and Thales.
Chess Dynamics is also looking to grow beyond its navalbusiness by selling its Hawkeye surveillance product, which canfit into the back of a land cruiser and detect a single personfrom about 12 kilometres away. It is close to signing a contractto supply a North African country with equipment to protect itsborders, said Moir.
($1 = 0.6456 pounds) (Editing by Mark Potter)