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The digital revolution has transformed all businesses. When we look at the threat detection industry the transformation is gradually picking pace. The threat detection industry is one of the most important arms of survival. Not just due to the terrorist attacks but also underlying security issues—even at the shopping complex or your friendly neighborhood store.
Plymouth Rock Technologies is a dedicated team of engineers addressing real-world problems by applying the latest techniques from engineering and science to find solutions that help keep people and places safe—land, sea, air, and space. It is on a mission to bring engineering-driven answers to the most critical problems that threaten our safety.
In 2016, Carl Cagliarini (CEO and Co-founder) was looking at the available technologies in the defense sector. He was disappointed to see that products were still stuck in the 1970s. this was mainly because the companies were either too big to pivot or organizations too rigid to handle new problems. “We knew this would need a different approach and a different kind of technology,” said Carl.
The biggest motivation behind the establishment of Plymouth Rock Technologies (PRT) was taking the collective know-how and experience of the team to develop technologies that ‘big industry’ has no experience or interest in the building. For the reason that their size and trajectory towards defined government contracts, or incremental improvements on technology that exists. In 2017, PRT was established to seek out the most critical problems it can find—the ones that pose threats to national security agencies, law enforcement, rescue services, and the people they serve.
The team and partners deliver complete, innovative solutions that help assure that the customer’s mission succeeds. PRT offers services related to Air, Land, water, and space technologies. As aforementioned, the motivation behind the establishment was to innovate the technology and the team continues to do so. The arsenal now includes small, modular stand-off weapon detection, an Airport and Correctional Facility ‘Shoe Scanner’, and truly autonomous UAVs that can carry more weight and travel further than what others offer.
Additionally, the team is working on the Shoe Scanner (SS1) with a national security agency, and the weapon detection is in its final updates. Alongside, the PRT’s drone technology has broken all world records on United Nations missions. Now the team is aiming to build an autonomous heavy-lift medical transport for the battlefield and that technology be used in all American-made air transport UAVs. “Our vision is to become the innovation leader in the integration and application of new sensor technologies, engineering, and science to solve the most demanding operational challenges,” said Carl.
Alike every new venture, PKT also had to deal with the shortage of finances. In the initial days, the price and availability of Millimeter-wave components posed a challenge to prove out the prototypes. However, soon PRT acquired Aerowave Inc, which eliminated a great deal of the millimeter-wave component issues. On the other hand, UAVs allowed the company to reach a new shareholder base in both the USA and Canada.
The change in wind happened when PRT was announced as the NASA JPL Supplier. Though the details of the project cannot be disclosed, the news that the company is supplying NASA transformed how PRT was viewed in the industry. Apart from NASA, PRT has adopted a USA or NATO part and software supply. In the North American market, this has gained them very deep respect amongst the government and military.
Persistence and continuous innovation have made PKT revolutionary in the threat detection industry. The company has sustained the tough days and thrived in the competition. Carl adds, “We believe that this is an outlier approach in our sector.
By doing this, especially in the public markets, we are seen as a ‘do not say’ organization.”
Most of the competitors are too big to pivot or too small and niche locked. PKT gets things done swiftly and delivers successful outcomes to show. One of the key reasons behind this has been the ability to pivot and adapt to the mission of the client. Keeping innovation at the center, the products are developed in a modular way so that the components can be swap with the upgraded technologies or as the needs arise.
For instance, the team is devising technologies that address voids in security and unmanned technology that customers have demanded but have not appeared. Another is the SS1, we all hate taking off the shoes at the airport and the airport operators also want a streamlined way of dealing with the same issue. Lastly, the record-breaking drones—a normal drone can carry 3 lbs of weight and fly for 15 minutes carrying it, but PKT’s drone can carry 20lbs for a greater length of time.
COVID-19 outbreak also poses as one of the situations that needed quick solutions. Industries had to pivot their services and adapt to the new normal. One of the limitations highlighted by the pandemic was that despite the use of drones being used in Africa to deliver medicines, the ability to keep vaccines at the correct temperature was difficult. To counter this, PKT devised a transport called Medi-Mod. It keeps vaccines at a constant temperature. “We believe that this will have many applications in the medical field and drone delivery in general,” said Carl.
Carl believes that the pandemic has underlined the importance of unmanned technologies and AI through the pandemic. The demand for drones increased in the pandemic, as people used for social distance policing, but more importantly social-inclusion duties. Looking at the surge in demand, PKT’s team was enthusiastic and the lockdown simply applied a greater focus element on what PKT is trying to accomplish.
In the year 2021, PKT is working on Nano-drones and also heavy-lift drones. And the focus on Military and Homeland Security first, with the commercial clients to follow. Likewise, a greater concentration on the NASA JPL and Private Space industry partnerships.
