Arcani plans to test HARK acoustic sensor in Ukraine

Arcani's passive HARK acoustic sensor mounted on the back of a vehicle. (Arcani)

UK-based startup Arcani is planning to test its passive acoustic sensor HARK (Hostile Acoustic Reconnaissance Kit) in Ukraine in May, Harry Howe, CEO and founder of the company, told Janes on 14 April 2026.

Howe says HARK will be complimentary to Ukraine's Zvook acoustic detection system. “The Ukrainian Third Army [Corps], their air defence, are actively scouting for portable force protection acoustic systems. We have put ourselves forward. We haven't received confirmation but at some point in the next few weeks we are expecting to go to Ukraine and test our system,” Howe said.

Zvook sensors

Zvook describes its network as supporting air defence systems' capability to detect low-altitude cruise missiles and UAVs. On the company website, the acoustic sensor is described as a weather protected parabolic antenna and microcomputer that can run machine learning (ML) algorithms. It's range can be extended with additional sensors, according to the website description. Zvook did not respond to a request for comment by the time of publication.

“We foresee Zvook having a really strong place in the long-range detection of Shaheds [one-way attack UAVs]. That will continue to be the case,” Howe explained, adding that HARK will be “the layer underneath, which looks at FPVs [first person view] drones, through difficult terrain”. In the future, Howe sees acoustic sensors closing the border protection gap for NATO states.

The Zvook system first included MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) microphones, according to Howe. “The downside is that you need multiple of these sensors to triangulate where the sound is coming from,” Howe said. “It doesn't work very well when it comes to smaller drones, only much larger systems.”