Department of National Defence to test Zighra’s IntentHunter, an autonomy-enabling AI platform for Counter-UAS – Zighra
AI Analysis
The Canadian Department of National Defence (DND) will be testing Zighra’s IntentHunter, an AI-powered platform designed to infer the intent of UAS activity. IntentHunter moves beyond simple drone detection by analyzing behavioral patterns from multiple sensor inputs (RF, EO/IR, radar) to distinguish between friendly, hostile, or unknown drones. The system aims to provide explainable alerts and decision support for operators, enabling faster and more informed responses to drone threats.
Key Takeaways
- Zighra Inc. secured a DND contract via the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program to test IntentHunter.
- IntentHunter focuses on 'intent inference' – determining *why* a drone is behaving a certain way, not just *that* it is present.
- The platform integrates multi-sensor data (RF, EO/IR, radar) for a more comprehensive situational awareness picture.
- IntentHunter aims to reduce operator workload by prioritizing novel detections and providing explainable context.
- The system is designed to identify anomalous behaviour and potential deception tactics employed by drone operators.
Why It Matters
This development signals a shift towards more sophisticated Counter-UAS capabilities, moving beyond reactive measures to proactive threat assessment. Intent-based detection is crucial as drones become more adaptable and utilize complex maneuvers, and it highlights Canada's investment in domestic AI-driven defense technologies. Successful implementation could significantly enhance Canada’s ability to defend against evolving UAS threats.
Department of National Defence to test Zighra’s IntentHunter, an autonomy-enabling AI platform for Counter-UAS – Zighra
Department of National Defence to test Zighra’s IntentHunter, an autonomy-enabling AI platform for Counter-UAS
Zighra Inc. announced today that it has been awarded a Department of National Defence (DND) contract, through the Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program, to support the testing of IntentHunter, an AI-powered intent inference and situational awareness software platform designed to help counter rapidly evolving drone threats, referred to as uncrewed aerial systems (UAS).
UAS threats are increasingly low-cost, adaptive, and difficult to interpret using static signatures alone, particularly as adversaries adjust emissions, configurations, and behaviours over time. The operational challenge is no longer just detection; it is understanding intent and quickly distinguishing between trusted, authorized activity and potential threats in dynamic conditions. IntentHunter is an autonomy-enabling intelligence layer that transforms real-time sensing observations into operator-ready contextual signals, explainable alerts, and analytics, enabling teams to triage and prioritize novel detections while keeping operators in control of decisions.
IntentHunter is built to support multi-sensor integration within the testing environment. Depending on available sensors, the platform can ingest and fuse inputs such as radio frequency (RF), electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR), and radar sources. It identifies anomalous activity using real-time behavioural patterns—inferring manoeuvre behaviours from trajectory and identifying coordination patterns across observations—then provides explainable context to support operator decisions. Rather than relying solely on static threat libraries, IntentHunter applies behavioural intent inference to surface suspicious patterns and potential deception behaviours, and presents results through an interface optimized for real-time situational awareness and post-event review.
“Drone warfare has changed the problem,” said Deepak Dutt, CEO of Zighra. “It’s no longer about ‘did we detect something’. It’s now about ‘what is it, what is it doing, and is it friend, foe, or unknown?’ IntentHunter is built for behavioural intent detection—helping teams hunt drone activity based on intent, not just signatures—by turning multi-sensor observations into explainable, autonomy-enabling decision support. We’re proud to support DND’s objectives and contribute to Canadian sovereign capability in Counter-UAS.”
About Zighra
Zighra is a Canadian defence AI company delivering explainable, behaviour-first intelligence for contested environments. Zighra’s platforms apply adaptive AI to interpret RF and multi-sensor observations, enabling autonomy-ready decision support for Counter-UAS missions, spectrum operations, and next-generation sensing.
Read the full release: https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2026/06/02/3305250