Making waves in the world of radio frequency technology

Eight years ago, veteran aerospace and defense engineer David Erisman started ERISYS LLC with a big vision - to shake up the world of RF (radio frequency) testing and development.

Based near the Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia, this cutting-edge company is all about creating advanced products that help solve tough spectrum challenges. With his engineering expertise and passion for pushing technology forward, Erisman has built a company that's helping change the game for RF spectrum monitoring and electronic warfare (EW) systems development and testing.

“I was determined to develop advanced RF software and hardware for use by the military and defense contractors in developing next-generation radars and EW systems,” says Erisman, who spent some 15 years with industry giant Lockheed Martin before establishing X-COM Systems in 1996. “I started ERISYS immediately after leaving X-COM, where I was somewhat frustrated by the slow pace of product development and technology advancement.”

New Technologies

Since its establishment in 2018, ERISYS has emerged as a key partner for companies at the forefront of  emerging radar and EW solutions.

Specializing in hardware and software for RF recording, analysis and playback, ERISYS ensures that professionals have the tools they need to keep military technologies performing at their best. Their solutions are widely used in aerospace, homeland security and critical infrastructure.

An important milestone for ERISYS has been its successful partnership with Rohde & Schwarz, a Germany-based electronics group known for electronic test equipment, broadcast and media, cybersecurity and communications technology.

The collaboration with the worldwide organization has allowed ERISYS to integrate its proprietary tools with Rohde & Schwarz hardware, thus offering clients a seamless, premium solution for spectrum analysis and testing.

“This equipment then goes out and is used to test radar systems in the most advanced series of fighter planes and other things like that,” says Erisman, who recently attended a military testing exercise at a large test range in California. “Our technologies and the alliance with Rohde & Schwarz has led us into markets that weren’t available before.”

Indeed, the partnership has helped ERISYS gain a global footprint and demonstrated value in projects requiring ultra high-tech solutions for aerospace and defense customers. Selling advanced cutting-edge systems, ERISYS caters to elite clients who understand the importance of precision and reliability.

“A typical full-on system that includes the Rohde & Schwarz equipment will typically sell for over a million dollars for a single installation. And, we’ve got some military bases that bought five or six of these. It’s a low volume, high sales price kind of thing,” says Erisman.

ERISYS EXPERTISE

One of the company’s game-changing innovations is its FPGA Enhanced Development System (FEDS). This tech helps reduce the complexities of performing real-time modifications to the RF signals as they are observed on a spectrum analyzer and played back on an RF signal generator.  This technology is used to recreate real world channel impairments like Doppler shifts and signal delays which is especially helpful in challenging industries such as satellite communications.

“Testing low Earth orbit satellite systems is no small feat,” says Erisman. “Satellites move fast, and atmospheric shifts can mess with RF signal quality. Our goal is to make these transitions as smooth and reliable as possible.”

Erisman further notes that as the satellite industry grows, the potential for consumer-facing applications, like satellite-enabled internet and phone capabilities, is enormous. He sees opportunities in mitigating interference issues in the telecommunications industry.

“I think you’ll soon see pretty much everyone’s cell phone connecting with satellites for seamless global communication, even in remote places like on cruise ships on the oceans,” he says.

“The 5G and 6G rollouts also present concerns about interference and even deliberate communication jamming - our tools are designed to help pinpoint and resolve these issues effectively.”

WORKING WITH PROTOCASE

ERISYS is all about customizing its tools to fit exactly what its clients need. A big part of that has been its partnership with Protocase.

When ERISYS needed special, purpose-built enclosures to house its most expensive hardware products, Erisman turned to Protocase.

“Commercial chassis were too bulky, hard to ship and lacked airflow, which was critical for housing high-powered hardware like systems capable of storing 120 terabytes of data,” explains Erisman.

“Protocase was a company I investigated when I was looking for a top tier supplier and was impressed with their fast turnaround times and high quality”.

By teaming up with Protocase engineers, ERISYS was able to design custom chassis tailor-made to its intricate requirements.

“We started with designs in SolidWorks and shared them with Protocase, which iteratively modified the designs through regular collaboration,”  he says. “The final result was a dependable, cost-effective chassis that met our exact needs and maintained repeatable quality that is essential for our business model.”

The partnership exemplifies ERISYS’s commitment to excellence and its refusal to accept compromises in its systems. Instead, the company challenges collaborators to refine every detail, prioritizing performance, usability and the satisfaction of end users.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

While ERISYS is firmly entrenched in the U.S. military’s defense value chain, the company has its sights set on expanding into commercial markets. Its importance is increasing along with the growing reliance on wireless communications and spectrum management, which is opening up more opportunities in telecommunications, consumer electronics and even public infrastructure.

“Our expertise positions us well to solve interference and communication challenges—not just for the military, but for industries like telecommunication and smart cities," says Erisman, adding that ERISYS plans to branch out into providing tools to analyze cellular, Wi-Fi and other commercial signals, making its technology indispensable in mitigating disruptions and ensuring seamless communication.

“We deliberately try to focus on the leading edge—going after the highest technologies and solving complex problems. But we also see opportunities for simpler, more consumer-focused solutions.”

FINAL THOUGHTS

ERISYS LLC has built a strong reputation in RF testing and development thanks to its innovation and engineering expertise. From breakthroughs in satellite communications and drone detection to partnerships with well-reputed firms like Rohde & Schwarz and Protocase, ERISYS is leading the way in transforming the industry.

For engineers, defense contractors and technology developers looking to solve the toughest spectrum challenges, ERISYS offers more than just solutions – it delivers confidence.

For more information about ERISYS’s advanced tools and technologies, visit www.erisys.com.