Railyards and rail lines are the lifelines of our nation’s transportation network, moving approximately 20.2 billion tons of freight annually. Yet they face significant challenges daily—from theft, vandalism, and costly derailments to emergencies that can disrupt operations, endanger lives and literally halt economic productivity. Rail operators require increasingly innovative, security and inspection solutions that can lower operational costs, eliminate downtime and improve operational efficiency.  

MatrixSpace and Hextronics, both based in the U.S., have partnered to create a joint solution that combines continuous radar monitoring with automated drone systems to address security breaches, improve site management and increase overall rail line safety—saving millions in lost economic impacts and more importantly protecting human life.  

Today’s Reality for Railroad Operators

Rail Yard Security

Railyards are vital hubs in the transportation industry, managing billions of dollars in cargo across sprawling, open spaces that often border diverse landscapes. Yet, their size and accessibility make them prime targets for a range of security threats, from physical breaches to operational disruptions and emerging technological risks.

‍Intrusions and Theft: Unauthorized individuals can easily infiltrate rail yards, risking theft, vandalism, or sabotage. High-value cargo like electronics, raw materials and copper wiring are frequent targets, contributing to millions in annual losses.

• 180+ perimeter intrusions per day

• 37% of rail theft is in rail yards

• 65,000 thefts in 2024, resulting in the loss of $100 million

‍Unauthorized Drone Activity: Drones pose novel risks, including surveillance of operations, smuggling contraband, or even launching attacks against rail operations. As drone technology advances, rail yards and our associated rail line infrastructure face an escalating challenge to stay secure.

Foundational perimeter security measures such as cut-resistant fencing, enhanced security patrols, and stationary cameras often prove inadequate for the vast and complex environments of rail yards. Fencing can be breached, patrols are limited by manpower and predictability, and stationary cameras suffer from blind spots and obscured vision, fixed views, and vulnerability to tampering. These methods are mostly reactive, detecting incidents after they occur rather than proactively preventing them. They also struggle to provide comprehensive, real-time situational awareness, leaving rail yards vulnerable.

Rail Line Safety

U.S. freight railroad operators manage the world’s largest rail system, with approximately 140,000 miles of rail lines. This massive linear infrastructure needs constant inspection and maintenance to ensure the integrity of rails and right-of-way corridors. Nevertheless, accidents and safety issues occur at a high rate.  

‍Derailments: U.S. derailments average 3 per day, and cost between $50,000 to $2 million per incident, depending on cargo type, location, and damage extent. This translates based on an average loss of $1M an incident to over $1B in hard dollars—a significant financial strain across all our rail carriers.  

‍Emergency Response: In 2023, 2,983 train accidents resulted in 995 deaths, 275 injuries, and 832 derailments. These statistics underscore the need for rapid, effective response systems to reduce casualties and downtime, especially in remote areas.

Traditional methods for inspection to prevent derailments and accidents are limited by the scale of operations and precision of measurement.  

‍Rail Yards: Daily manual walkarounds remain the primary method for inspecting rail yard infrastructure. Human inspectors conduct these assessments by physically surveying equipment, tracks, and surroundings, but this method is inherently time-consuming and subjective. Its shortcomings include the potential for human error, inconsistent data capture, and limited real-time reporting—issues that can delay the identification of risks and compromise overall safety.

‍Railroad Highway: Inspections along railroad highways typically involve manned vehicles equipped with IoT devices that perform weekly assessments. While the integration of sensor data offers enhanced monitoring capabilities, this approach still suffers from intermittent oversight and data gaps. The reliance on periodic checks, rather than continuous monitoring, can result in delays in detecting emerging risks, and the logistics of coordinating inspections on the rail further complicate rapid response efforts.

How Technology Solves This Cost-Effectively

The Integrated Solution: Multi-domain Edge-based Intelligence Meets Drone Automation

Today Hextronics with over five years' experience and the leading drone automation manufacture to the United States railroad industry has deployed over 200 of their Hextronics Automated Drone Solutions.  In order to bring even greater efficiency and effectiveness to railroad operators, MatrixSpace and Hextronics have developed a leading-edge solution that marries Advanced Intelligence coupling radar sensing with drone automation transforming to even greater levels rail yard security and asset monitoring.

‍MatrixSpace Radar

The MatrixSpace AI enabled radar system is a cornerstone of this integrated security solution.  This solution is strategically positioned along rail yard perimeters and corridors and co-located with Hextronics’ automated drone “nests.” This solution delivers a robust, multi-layered defense through three key capabilities:  

1. Intrusion Detection: Continuously scanning fence lines and corridors, the radar detects unauthorized personnel or objects presence and position in real-time. Its advanced AI classification minimizes false alarms and differentiates objects, ensuring rapid and reliable threat identification.

2. BVLOS Enablement: The radar provides real-time low-airspace awareness, enabling safe Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) drone operations. This is vital for automated missions across expansive rail yards, removing the need for an on-site drone operator or supporting visual observers and boosting operational efficiency.

3. Counter-UAS Detection: Rogue drones are increasingly threatening critical infrastructure. Radar’s ability to detect and track these “bad actor” drones offers an essential shield, safeguarding rail yards from aerial risks.

Beyond these core functions, MatrixSpace’s multi-domain sensors provide configurable coverage—ranging from 100° to 360°—and can be easily relocated to adapt to changing security needs. The system’s real-time AI classification ensures accurate threat detection across diverse object types, while its scalability makes it a future-ready solution for evolving rail yard demands. This radar doesn’t just enhance security—it redefines it, empowering rail operators to stay ahead of threats on the ground and in the air.

Hextronics Automated Drone System

Based on years of research and first-hand United States rail yard and track experience the Hextronics automated drone system delivers rapid-response aerial capabilities that revolutionize rail yard security and inspection operations.  Hextronics, offers an industry leading solution that enhances monitoring and inspections, while significantly lowering injuries and deaths, offering immediate cost reduction and payback.  

Here’s what sets the Automated Drone System apart:

4. Automated Drone Operation:
   Fully automated and remotely operated, this system reduces the need for human intervention. It streamlines monitoring and inspection across sprawling rail yards, cutting operational costs while maintaining consistent, high-quality oversight.

5. Quick Response Times:
   With an impressive 90-second response time, the drones can rapidly investigate anomalies flagged by the radar. This speed is a game-changer—enabling real-time responses to potential security threats or incidents, minimizing risks and damage.

6. Proven Reliability:
   Built with U.S.-supported Blue Listed Aircraft, the system meets rigorous safety and reliability standards. This ensures operational integrity and builds trust, making it a dependable choice for critical rail infrastructure.

7. Global Expertise:
   Deployed in diverse environments worldwide, Hextronics has fine-tuned its technology to tackle challenges like extreme weather and complex terrain. This global experience guarantees adaptability and resilience in any rail yard setting.

8. Inspection Efficiency:
   Some large rail companies have quadrupled their inspection rates using Hextronics’ docked drone systems. This leap in productivity not only bolsters security but also optimizes maintenance schedules and reduces costly downtime.

How the Combined Approach Enhances Security

The integration of MatrixSpace’s radar detection and Hextronics’ automated drone system forms a dynamic defense for rail yard and highway security. This isn’t just a pairing of technologies—it’s a seamless collaboration that anticipates threats, responds instantly, and adapts effortlessly, protecting both ground and low airspace with unmatched precision. Here’s how it works:  

Instantaneous Action:
The moment MatrixSpace’s radar detects an intrusion or unusual activity, it triggers Hextronics’ drone system to spring into action. This real-time handoff slashes response times from hours to minutes, delivering immediate aerial reconnaissance where it’s needed most. With live footage streaming to security teams, situational awareness skyrockets, enabling rapid, informed decisions to neutralize threats before they escalate.

Comprehensive Coverage:
MatrixSpace’s radar casts a wide net, providing relentless, 360-degree monitoring across the rail yard’s expanse. Paired with Hextronics’ drones, which swoop in for close-up, high-definition and thermal views, this duo creates a layered security blanket—broad in scope and deep in detail. From perimeter boundaries to hidden interior zones, no area goes unwatched, closing the gaps that traditional systems often leave behind.

Flexible Implementation:
Scalability is built into both systems. Whether a rail yard grows in size or its security needs shift, additional radar units and drone docks can be deployed with ease, requiring minimal new infrastructure. This adaptability ensures operators can reconfigure coverage zones or bolster protection in high-risk areas, keeping the security framework as dynamic as the environment it safeguards.

By uniting radar’s constant vigilance with the drone’s agile response, rail operators gain a security solution that’s both robust and forward-thinking. Threats are met quickly and precisely, ensuring assets, personnel, and operations remain protected in an ever-changing security landscape.

Enhancing Asset Inspection and Risk Mitigation

The integration of MatrixSpace’s radar detection with Hextronics’ automated drone system transforms asset inspection and risk mitigation in rail yards and over rail lines.  

Safe Remote Operations:
Remote operation of drones beyond visual line of sight requires reliable monitoring of low airspace to ensure aircraft separation and general situational awareness. Combining the low power and high-performance detection of MatrixSpace radar sensors with Hextronics automation capabilities provides practical safety for use at the scale needed for railroad infrastructure and assets.  

Comprehensive Coverage:
Hextronics drones are designed for long flight missions and rapid re-deployment. They have a 9.3 square mile operating area and take only 90 seconds for battery swaps. Drone inspection patrols can survey the entire rail yard and long sections of rail line, pinpointing areas that require closer examination. Equipped with high-resolution and thermal imagery, these drones detect anomalies and deliver close-up visuals of specific assets or trouble spots. They ensure thorough inspections, leaving no area unchecked and maintaining the integrity of critical infrastructure across both routine and targeted assessments.

Flexible Inspection Routines:
The combined solution is highly adaptable, allowing rail operators to customize inspection schedules based on operational priorities. Whether it’s routine daily checks, focused inspections of high-risk zones, or immediate responses to real-time alerts, the system’s scalability ensures resources are allocated efficiently, and critical assets receive the attention they need.

Data-Driven Insights:
Each inspection generates valuable data from radar and drone inputs, creating a robust dataset for analysis. Over time, this information reveals trends, supports predictive maintenance, and refines inspection strategies. By anticipating potential risks and optimizing asset management, the system minimizes downtime and enhances long-term operational resilience.

Securing the Future of Rail Operations

Rail yard security is evolving, and the integration of advanced radar with automated drone systems is at the forefront of this transformation. By utilizing MatrixSpace’s AI-enhanced radar and Hextronics’ deep industry experience coupled with their rapid-response automated drone system, rail companies can not only monitor and secure their perimeters more effectively but also improve asset inspection practices.

This innovative solution is a testament to the future of rail security—one where technology drives efficiency, enhances safety, and reduces the costly repercussions of operational disruptions. For rail operators looking to secure their infrastructure with cutting-edge technology, the combined solution from MatrixSpace and Hextronics represents a forward-thinking investment in their operations' safety and resilience.