Spotter Global Radar Profile
For more than a decade, Spotter RF has been one of the few specialists in physical security radar. In the past year, the company has a new name (Spotter Global) and a new CEO. How is the company changing?
IPVM spoke to Spotter's current CEO Frank Christophersen and VP of Business Development Brad Solomon and, in this report, analyses the company's offering, technology, pros, and cons, including:
- Background
- Employee count
- CEO Change
- Technology
- Products
- Pricing
- Spotter vs Competitors
- Advantages
- Limitations
- Future of Spotter and Other Radar Companies
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******* ****** ** * ******* ******* founded ** **** ** ***** ****** and, ***** **** ****, ***** *********. Its ******* **** *** ** "******* troops ******** ****** *** ***** **** harm", ********* ** **********'* *******. ******* *** ********* ********-********, *******, in **** ** ******** *** ********* into ********** ******** *** ******** ***************.
*** ******* ******** *** ************ *** types ** ******: ****** ********* *** aerial ***** *********.
******* ** ************* ** ****, **, and *** * **** ******* ** Washington *.*., ******, *** **********, *******.
Spotter ***** *****
******* *** **** "***** ** **,*** sensors" ***** *** **********, **** **************, including "******* *,*** *** *,***" ****** last ****, *** *******. ** **** added **** ****** ****** ****** **** been **** ********** ** ***** ** units **** *** ** **** ****** radars ***** *** ***** ** ****** radars.
***** *** ******* *** *** ******** its *******, ** **** **** **** "we **** ********* *** **** **** ever ** ***** ** **% ******* this ** *** ****** ** *** the ** ** ***% ***** **** year".
Employee *****
******* *** ******* ** *** ** employees, ********* ** *******. ** **** added **** *** ******* *********** *********** growth **** ~** ********* *** ***** ago. *** *******'* ************* ** *********.
CEO ******: ****** *** **************
** ****, ******* ******* ** * CEO **** ******** ******* ***** ******, though *** ******* ********** **** ****** is ** *** *******'* ********** ******** and ** *** *******'* *****.
*** ******* *** *** **** ** announcement ***** *** *** ******, ******* concerns **** ****** *** ****** *** from *******, *******, ************** **** **** that **** *** *** *** ****. He ******* ***** **** ** ************* were **** ******* ****** ** * private ****** *** **** *** **** a *** ** *********.
****** ** *** * ***** ****** and ***** **** ******** ** *** company, *** ********, *** **********, ************** said:
** ***** ** *** **'* *** really ******** ** ******* *** *** to *** ********, *** ****** ** be *** *** **** ** **** to ** ** *****'* **** ** be ******** ********** *** ***...*** *** he *****'* **** ** *** ** go ********** ******....** ***** *** ***** a **** ** *** *****. ... But ** ***** ** **** ****** the **** *** ****** **** *** technology. *****? ***, *** ** ** very **** ****** ** ***** ****. And **'* ********* **** ** ***** that.
*** *** *** ********** **** **** retain *** *******'* **** ********** **** philosophy **** ** ********* ***** ** making ***** ** ******* ****:
*** [******'] ******** **** ** ******** the *******, ** ** *** *** about ****** *****, **'* **** ***** preventing ****, *****? *** **** ** realizes **** ***'** ***** ** **** we ***** **** ***** ** ***** to, ** **** ** ******* **** philosophy. *** ** * **** ****** to *** *** **** ***** ** make, *** **** **** ** *** prevent, *****? ** ** **** * plan ** ******** *** *******...
************** *** ********* ********* ** ************ radar **** ** ***** ******** ******(* ****** *** ******** ***** *******) and ******** ********** *******. ******* ********* *** ********** ******* the **-*** *** ******* *** ** Harris ***** **** ***-*********** *** ************** being **** ***-********, ** ** ****:
** [***************] *** *** **** ** kind ** ******** *********** ***** ********** within **** ******* ** ****. ** where ***** [******] *** ****** ** the *********** ****, *** **** ***** is ****** ** **** * ****** bit **** ****-*** ** *** ******** management ****, ** **** *** *** strategic **** *****.
"Starting ****** **** * **** *******"
**** *********** ** *** ******* ********* that ************** ***** ***** ******** ** Spotter, ** ****:
*** **** *** **** ** *** problem ** **** ******* *** *********** very **** ***** ... *** **** sort ** ***** **** **** ** biggest ********* ***** * ******* *** to *** **** **** ***
**** *** ***** ***** ************** ***** main ***** *** ** ***** ********* as * "**** *******" *** * lot ** *** ***'* ******* **** since ********* ** ******* ******* *** of "*** *** *** *****-** **** mode". ************** ***** ****** ***** *** progress **** *** ******* *** ****:
*'* ***** ** *** ****, *** know, **'** **** ***** ******** **** the **** ****, *** *** ****, we ***, ** *** ******* *** acting **** * **** ******* ***
Name ******
** ***** **** *** **************** *** **** ****** **** ********* to ******* ******. ******* **** **** *** **** change ** * "******* *******". *****, the ******* ** ********** ****** *** with ******** ******* ****** *** *****. Second, ******* ** * **** ** a ****** ********, ** ** *********:
******* ** *** ***** ** * global ******** ** * *******. ***** by ****** ** ********* *** *****. When ***** ** ****** ***'* ***** too **** ** *** ******** ****** out ***** *** ******** **** ***** technologies *** **** ** * ******** global ********, ** **** **** *** strongest ****** *** ******* **** ********* intrusion *****, *****. ****'* ** ******** recognition ** ****, *** **** *** direction **** *** ******* ** *****.
******* **** * "**** ****" **** the **** *-* ***** ** ********* well **** *** ******** *******, **** as *******, ***, ** ********, *** other *******, ********* ** *******.
** **** ***** **** ******** "**" in *** **** **** **** ***** because "******** **** ** ** *******" and *** ******* ****** ** **** the **** ******.
Funding ****** ** ****
*** ******* ** ** * "***** financial ********" *** ** **** **** never *** *** *********** ****** *** was ***** ********* ******** *** *********** said **** *** ** **** ******:
** *** ****, **'** ** * great ********* *********, * ***** **** to **** ** **** **** ******* so ** *** ********* *** **** quicker. *** ** ******** ****, ** some *****, **'** ******** ***** ** have ** ** **** *****, ***** [Harris] ** ** **** ************ **** regards ** ****. *** * ***'* blame *** ******* *** ***'* **** to ********** ********.
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******* **** * ********* ********* ********** Wave ******** (****). ******* ** ******, Spotter's ***** ***** * ********** ****** that *** * ******** *********. *** target ***** ********** *** ******* **** the *********** ** *** *********** ** the ******* ****** *** ********** ********* signal, ****** *** ****-**-****** ****** ******** by ***** ******.
**********-**** ******** ****** *** ***** **********, but * ******* ***** *** ** the ***** ****** ** *** ******** compared ** ***** ******.
*** ******* **********, ******* ** ********** **** ******* **** ***** ****, ******* ****** **** ******** ********* receivers ** *** ******* *** ********** the ***** ** *** ****** *** phase ********** ** *** ********** ********* by ******** *********, ********* ***** *******'* ******. ******* **** **** **** ****** is ************ *** ****** *** ****** angular **********.
In-House ***********
******* ************* *** ******* *** **** all ** *** *********** *** ******* in-house, ** ******* **** ****:
** ** *** ****** ** ****, from *** ****** **. ** ** design *** ********. **'* ********* **-*****, built **-*****, *** ******** *** ***** is *** **** **-*****, *** *** algorithms *** **** **-*****.
********
******* *** ** ********* ***** ******, including ** ****** ****** *** * aerial ****** *** ***** *********. *** company *** * ********* ***** ** radars **** *** ***** ********* *** ground ********* (**-**********-******) *** *** ***** *** (*-***********-******) *** ***** *********. *** ******** of *** ****** **** *** **** form ******* (******** ** ********* *****) and *** ********** **** *** ********* of **-*** ***** ***** ***** ** rotating ** * **** ** *** degrees *** ******.
*** ******** ** *** ****** ***** and *** ****** **** ****** *** device ** ******* *********** **** * *** * ********, ********* ** *******'* *****. * spherical ********* **** ** ************ *** drone ********* ** ** ********** *** possibility ** ******* ********** ** ****** directly ***** *** ****** *** ****** for * ****** **** **** * stationary *****.
***-****** **** ** ********** ***** ********* * ************* ********* **** ** the ********* ****, ** ***** *****:
*******'* *-****** ****** ****** *** ******** for ***** ************* (*.*. ******** *** data *******), ******* **-****** ****** *** more ******** *** ******* ***** ** urban *** ******** ************, ********* ** the*******'* *******. ******, *** *-****** *** ***** is ****** ********** ******** ** *** range ** *-******, ** ***** *****:
*** *** ****** *** ******* ********* range **** ******* *** ******* ** be*,*** * (~*,*** **) *** *,*** m (~*,*** **)************. **** ** ****** **** ******* ranges ***** * (~**** **) *** *,*** m (~**** **) ************ ** *****' SR-1000.
NetworkedIO *** *********
************* *******'* ***** ********** ****** **** allows *** *********** **** *** *******, VMSes, *** ***** *******, ********* ****** from ***********. *** ****** ** ****** the **** **** *** *** ********* sensors *** ******* * ****** ** for ******** ** ********. ******* **** pointed *** **** *** ****** ** able ** *********** *** ******* *******, which ** ******** ** * "****** unique" ******* ** *** ******.
*********** *** ********* **** * ****** of *****, ********* ****, *****, ***** Eye, *****, ***** ******, ********, ***., according ** **********'* *******.
*********** * ***** ************** ****** ******* developed ** *** ******* *** ** included **** *********** ********. ** **** radar **** *** ***** ** ** to ** ********** *** ****** **************, according ** *******. ***** ********** *** include ****** ********, **** ** *****, speed ******, ***** ********, ****, ***.
*** *******, ******* ********* **** ** a *****/**** **************, *** ***** ** a ****** *** ******** ******* ** is * **** ** * ***** - ** *** ***** ** * straight **** **** ** ***** ********** that *** ****** *** ***** ** if ***** ** * ****** **-****** turn **** * **** ********** ****** do ** ***** **** *** ******** object ** ** ********* ******.
*******
******* *** *** ******** *** ***** pricing *** *** ******* *** **** that ****** *** ****** **** "**** under $*,***" ** $**,*** *** ******. The ***** ********* **** *** ***** and **** ***** ****** *** **** expensive **** ****** ******, ********* ** Solomon.
Sales ******* *** *******
******* ***** *** ****** ******* "* global ************ ******* *** ******* ********", per *******. ********* ** *** ******, however, ** ***** **** *********, ** he *********:
********* ******* ***** **** **** ** say * ********* ***********, *** **** they ********** ** *** ** ********* who **** ******* ** ** *** customers. ** ***** *********, ** ***** be **** *** **** **** * reseller *** **'* **** *********** *** the ******** ** ********. *** ********* we [*******] **** ******** ******* * channel ** *** *******
******* ******* ******* *** ******* ******* "always **** *** ***** *** * direct ************" **** ********* *** ***** to ** "**** ** ****" **** them.
Spotter *** ******** ***************
*******'* ******* ******** ** ******** ***************, primarily ********** **** ***********, *** ***** infrastructures **** ** **** *******, ****, bridges, *** "******** ****** ** *******", per *******. ** **** ***** **** the ******** ** ***** "* **** big ****** **** *** ******* *** us"
************** ********* ******** ***** *** ********* for *** ******* ** ** **** that ******* ********** *** ***** ** particular ************ *** *** ******* *******'* customer ***** **** **** * **** purchase. *******, ** **** ******* ****** a ******** **** * ********** ** Florida *** ** ******* ** ** deployed ****** *** **** - **** is *** ******* ******** ****, ********* to *******'* ***.
Spotter ** ***********
********-******** ****** *** **** ********* ******* from ***** ********* ** *** *****, says *******. *** ******* *** * number ** ***** *** *** ******* that *** ************ ******** *** ********* in * ****** ** ********* ************, including **-***** *********, ***** *****, ***** environment, ***. ******* **** **** *******'* radars **** ********** *** ***-**-*** ******** from *** *********** ** *********** ********* scenarios (**** ** * ***** *******) even ** *** ***** ** * competing ******* *** ****** ** *** paper:
** ** ***'** ***** ** **** a **********, *** **** ** ** get * ***** **** *** ******** to ******* ** *** ********** ... and **'* ***** *** ****, ** do *** **** ** ** *** in * ******* ***** **** ***'* necessarily ***** *** ****? *****? ****'*, that's * **** *********. *** * know ** *** ** *** *** any ** ***** *********** ** ***** same ************, **** **** ***** **** sheet **** ** **** ******* ** earlier, ****** ****, *****, ******* ***'** not ***** ** **** **** *** don't **** **** ** ***** ************ where *** ******* ***** **** **** in **** ***********. ** ** *****, they ***** **** ******** ****** *** that ********** *****, *** **** **** you *** **** **** * **********, we're ***** ** ********** **** ***** every ***, *****? *****'* **** ** comparison. **'** *** *** **** *** they ***'* *** ***** **** ******* we *** **** ** * ********* environment.
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*** ******* ****** *** ********* ** the ***** **** ** ******** *** choose * **** ** ***** *** device ****** ******* (*.*. ****** ***** can ** *** ** **** *** drones *** **** ** *****), ********* to *******. ***** ** *** ** done, *** *** ** ****** *** scenarios **** **** *** *** ******** to ******* ** *** ************* ******** the ********** *** *** ******** ** detection, ** *****.
*** *******'* ****** **** * ****** of ********** ********, **** ** **** constitutes * *****, **** *********** * detection, **** ** *** ********* *** tracking, ** **** ********** ***** ** you **** ** ***** **************, ***. that *** ** ****** ** ******** menus, ********* ** *******. **** ******** will ***** * **** ** ****** the ******* ** ***/**** ********** *** needs, *******, ******* **** **** ***-**-***-*** settings *** ***** ** **** ** "90% ** **** *********".
****** * *** ** ***** ***** for ********* ************ *** *********** ******** the *********** ** *******'* ****** ** difficult *********.
******* ****** *** ** ********** **** other *******, **** ** ******* *** RF ********, **** *** ****** ****** not ********* *** *****' ******. ******* also ********* **** *** *********** ** fairly ****** *** "*** *** ******* them ** *** ******* ****** ***** out ** *** ***". *** ***********'* capability ** ********* ******** ******* *** even ****** **** ***** ********* ** the ***** ** **** ** ********* feature.
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*******'* ******, **** *** ******, ****** from ******** *********** **** *** ****** with ***** *********** - **** ** sight ***********, *********** **** *** ***** structures. ************ **** ***** ******* ** a *********** ********** *** ******. ******* did *** ******* ******** ** *** they ******** ***** ******.
******* ****** ****** **** * ******* target ******** ******* **** * ** 30 * *** ******* ******. ***** this ********** *** ** ********* ****** by ******* **** *** ****** * person *** * ******* ** **** range, ** ***** **** ***** ***** require * ****** ** ** ********* nearby. **** ******* *** ************** ** radar, ** ***** ********* (**** ** Magos) ***** **** * **** **** can ** ******* **** * ******* of ***** *** **** * ****** of *** *******.
*** **** ***** ** *******'* ****** (at ***** $*,***) ** ******* ***** that *** **** **** *** **** adoption ** *** ******. ***** *** critical *************** ***** ** ******* ** spend **** ** ****** ********, * smaller ********** ******** ***** *** *** for * ***** ****** ******* ** go **** ***** **** ****** *********, such ****** ***** ***** ***** ~$****.
***** ***** ** ***** *********** **** we *** *** ***** ** ** this *****. ** ****** ***** ****** the *******'* ******** ** ** **** not ****** ** ***.
Future ** Spotter *** ***** ***** *********
**** ***** *********, **** ** ****, Hikvision, *** *****, ********** ** ** own ***** *******'* *** ******** **** radar *********** **** ** ******* *** Magos **** ** ********* ** *** camera ************* ** *** ******* ***********.
** * *** ******* (**** ** Axis) **** ** ****** ** ******* a ********* ***** ** ***** ******** Spotter "***** ** ** *******" ** they ** *** **** *** ********* to ******* **** *******-****** *********, **** Christophersen.
** **** ********* **** ***** ******** by * ****** ******* ** *** Spotter's ******** ** ***** *** ******* aims ******. *******, ************** ******** **** it ** "**********".
Acquisition ********?
******* ** *** ******** ******* *** a ****** ******* ** ** ******** but ** ******* ** ******** ** opportunity ** *** ************* ***** ***** and *** ********* *********** ** ******. Christophersen **** **** ** ******* ** acquired ** ***** ***** *** ******* runs *************:
** ** [*******] **** ** ****** part ** ******* *******, * ***** want ** ******** ** *******, *** know, ** * ******* ** ****, independent. *** * ***** ** ***** be * ********** ***** ** * company **** ***** **** **** **** philosophy.
IPVM's ***** ** ****
** **** ** **** *******'* ****** later **** ****.