An Interview with Thorsten Chmielus

Founder and CEO of Aaronia AG

Always being at the edge of possible makes for a great deal of fun. At least that’s what Aaronia CEO, Thorsten Chmielus, thinks. Aaronia products certainly are at the cutting edge, with many of them being the first and the best in their fields. With offerings ranging from antennas and spectrum analyzers to a drone detection system and more, this German-based company is leading the way in many areas of technology. I was excited to sit down with Chmielus to discuss their work. 

Chmielus’s passion is clear, and despite the company’s phenomenal growth, he still works at least 50% on product development. For CEOs of large and successful companies, product development usually is left to the engineers but Chmielus continues to bring new ideas and technical expertise to the table. To him, the most interesting project is their new spectrum analyzer. Aaronia was the first to have a handheld spectrum analyzer under 500 grams; they were also the first to have a handheld real-time spectrum analyzer which they have since switched to USB, compatible with both Windows and Linux. These spectrum analyzers boast higher power and sensitivity, faster speed, and lower cost than benchtops and have the ability to stream data. Windows compatibility has been a staple for Aaronia since their first products, but pushing Linux has become a target for Aaronia. Along with aiming products at a new customer base, driving Linux compatibility and simply working with it helps to promote the development of open source RF devices and software around the world. Highlighting Aaronia's commitment to the RF and open source communities.

“The most interesting products are the new spectrum analyzer generations coming this year and next year, with much higher bandwidth, faster, smaller, bigger USB transfer rates and so on, because that's really cool,” Chmielus says. “That’s where people want to go. They say, ‘It’s cool working here, because you have the coolest stuff.’” Products with technical capabilities like this are one of a kind, and allow Aaronia to continue to be one of the most cutting edge companies in the industry.

Indeed, Chmielus credits the company’s success to having a great team of hardware and software engineers working together. Most companies tend to focus on one of these specialties or separate their engineers, but Aaronia strives to have a seamless team with a range of abilities (something much easier said than done). He also notes that Aaronia has a wide product range that appeals to hobbyists, businesses, universities, and governments alike; presenting the need for a team of mixed expertise.

According to Chmielus, Aaronia is famous for their antennas, which he says “are also selling like crazy.” Aaronia sells the most in the world for test and measurement, and one of the reasons is Aaronia’s long-term knowledge of the field. The development of antennas requires multiple iterations and material and layout is crucial, particularly when going to higher frequencies. This gives companies who have been developing antennas for a long time, like Aaronia, a clear advantage.

Another exciting project unique to the company is their drone detection system, which Chmielus says started as “a crazy idea from a customer of ours.” The patented system is number one on the market and is able to detect direction and height of objects using radio frequency. It has 3D mapping capabilities and a mobile app to reflect server data and is sensitive enough to pick up cell phones. Creating a turn-key drone detection system is not a small feat, and although it is unlike most of their other products Aaronia was able to use its arsenal of technical and market knowledge to create a first of its kind product with major time constraints. The system is currently used by law enforcement, military, power plants, border protection agencies, and even major airports such as London Heathrow. 

This constant evolving is what excites Chmielus and fuels the company’s growth. “It’s always evolved,” Chmielus says. “It doesn’t stop.”

For more information, visit the Aaronia website.