Paris Olympics defence system blunders: Air conditioner mistaken for drones
Paris 2024 Olympics
Fears over France's new €350 million anti-drone system failing to distinguish between unmanned terrorist aircraft and air conditioners have surfaced, raising concerns for the 500,000 spectators scheduled for the Paris Olympics.
According to The Times, the Parade system, which is hailed as critical to the fight against terror at the Games, was not as perfect as it seemed during a recent round of testing.
Reportedly, it can identify one out of every three drones in densely populated urban areas, but only up to 800 metres away. The system also misidentified air conditioning unit propellers as drones, a person familiar with the test told The Times.
A representative for Thales, which created Parade, said the technology, which is based on 'advanced processing algorithms', 'demonstrated its relevance' during the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
"Given the stakes involved, it is normal that the development of these algorithms and the fine-tuning of these sensors is requiring some effort and time, but the most important thing is to be ready for the Olympic Games 2024 with a system that armed forces operators have fully adopted," they added.
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With the opening ceremony less than three months away, France has had to boost its much-vaunted 'Parade' kit with systems that reportedly involve people and technology from the Royal Air Force. The Parade system received a €350 million tender from the French defence procurement agency to create an anti-drone system in 2022.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be held from July 26 to August 11, 2024, and will transform Paris into the world's centre of sport, among other things. Furthermore, there are predictions that the opening ceremony would be a star-studded affair, with around 10,500 participants disembarking from their boats and marching towards the ceremony location in Paris, France.
The 2024 Olympics opening ceremony will be held in Trocadéro Plaza, overlooking Paris' renowned Eiffel Tower. The last portion of the programme will take place when over 10,000 athletes disembark from boats and arrive at the location.
(With inputs from agencies)
