Picogrid and Guardian RF Partner to Defend Vandenberg Space Force Base from Drone Threats

The collaboration will integrate Guardian RF's passive RF sensors into Picogrid's command-and-control platform to enhance perimeter and installation security.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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Picogrid and Guardian RF have announced a joint contract to support installation security operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base, amid a surge in unauthorized drone activity over sensitive military sites globally. The partnership will integrate Guardian RF's low-SWaP Scout sensors into Picogrid's Expeditionary Command and Control Nodes (ECN), providing persistent, real-time airspace awareness and automatically cueing existing camera systems to enhance perimeter and installation security.

Why it matters

Protecting critical infrastructure like space launch operations at Vandenberg requires advanced, networked defenses against evolving drone threats. This collaboration aims to deliver an integrated approach to counter-UAS missions, leveraging passive RF sensing and a unified operational picture to enable Airmen to access actionable information necessary to safeguard high-value assets and personnel.

The details

Guardian RF's passive RF sensors will detect and analyze drone communications, providing early indication of both known and non-standard sUAS threats while reducing vulnerability to jamming and electronic attack. Picogrid's ECN will provide modular power, secure networking, and edge compute, enabling scalable deployment of this counter-UAS capability across the installation.

  • Picogrid and Guardian RF announced the joint contract on February 23, 2026.

The players

Picogrid

A technology company that builds products to integrate mission-critical systems, delivering infrastructure for mission execution across land, sea, air, and space.

Guardian RF

A company that builds low-cost, passive radiofrequency systems to make the increasingly active low-altitude airspace above critical sites observable in real time, detecting, classifying, and attributing drone and operator activity continuously.

Vandenberg Space Force Base

A United States Space Force installation located in California, which serves as a spaceport for space launches and operations.

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What they’re saying

“Integrating passive RF sensing into an open, operational command-and-control environment is critical for counter-UAS missions at sensitive installations. Our work with Picogrid enables an extensible, integrated approach to defending critical infrastructure.”

— Lucas Raskin, CEO of Guardian RF (Globe Newswire)

“We are proud to bring together strong partners and extend integrated capabilities across the Department of War. Our collaboration with Guardian RF highlights the value of an ecosystem-driven approach to counter-UAS missions and reflects our continued investment in supporting Space Force operations at Vandenberg.”

— Jacob Jeffries, Head of Deployments and Partnerships at Picogrid (Globe Newswire)

What’s next

The partnership between Picogrid and Guardian RF is expected to enhance security and defense capabilities at Vandenberg Space Force Base, as the integrated system is deployed and becomes operational.

The takeaway

This collaboration demonstrates the importance of leveraging advanced technologies, like passive RF sensing and unified command-and-control platforms, to address evolving drone threats and protect critical military infrastructure like space launch operations.