NORTHERN VIRGINIA, — Dutch radar manufacturer Robin Radar Systems has opened an expanded operations center in Northern Virginia as demand for its drone-detection technology grows in the United States.
The facility, opened on August 26, will add 20 local jobs and support the company’s growing customer base across government, defense, law enforcement and critical infrastructure sectors. Robin Radar said U.S. sales of its IRIS drone-detection radars increased by 75% during the first half of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The company has also recorded 60% year-over-year global growth over the past three years.
Robin Radar recently secured its largest U.S. agreement to date through a counter-UAS integrator. The deal provides radar systems for federal agencies as well as state, local, territorial and tribal authorities.
More than 30 IRIS radars were also deployed across North America during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Robin Radar said the deployment was one of its largest operational uses of IRIS and provided persistent 3D airspace awareness for U.S. government and local authorities around tournament venues.
IRIS Radar
IRIS is a compact X-band 3D radar designed to detect, track and classify drones. It weighs 64 pounds (29 kg), can be deployed in less than 15 minutes and provides 360-degree coverage.
The system uses micro-Doppler classification and deep neural networks to distinguish drones from birds and other environmental clutter. It can detect hovering drones and track multiple targets simultaneously.
Robin Radar said operational experience from recent conflicts, including the war in Ukraine, is influencing U.S. counter-UAS procurement, with customers placing greater emphasis on detection, tracking and classification in complex environments.
The company selected Northern Virginia because of its established defense industry ecosystem and proximity to government customers. The new center builds on Robin Radar’s U.S. presence in Virginia and is intended to support customers from system evaluation and deployment through ongoing operations.
The opening ceremony was attended by Birgitta Tazelaar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United States, and industry representatives including Ben Wenger, Chief Revenue Officer of Dedrone by Axon.
Tazelaar said the expansion represents an investment in the United States, Dutch technology and the transatlantic relationship.
Robin Radar CEO Siete Hamminga said the company aims to become part of the U.S. security ecosystem by hiring locally, supporting American customers, working with U.S. businesses and building more capabilities in the country.
Robin Radar Systems is headquartered in The Hague and develops radar technology for drone and bird detection. Its systems are used by NATO members, government agencies and critical infrastructure operators in multiple countries.
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