Using electronic means to intercept and safely put an errand drone to the ground is not new, but Sydney-based DroneShield’s sci-fi-ish contraption you see here, aptly called DroneGun, stands out as the first that can do so from up to 1.2 miles (1.9 kilometers) away. The longer reach has obvious benefits and among them is upping the odds of interception since the law enforcer would less likely to alert the intruding pilot who would otherwise make a run for it when he or she detects something is amiss like, you know, a SUV making a huge ding on its arrival.
Like Battelle’s DroneDefender, DroneGun is outfitted with antennas (three of them, to be exact) that, when directed at the rogue drone, will disrupt the airborne craft’s signals, including GPS and GLONASS, and force guide it straight down to the ground or compel it to return to its launch point which can help to locate the drone operator. In addition to bringing down the drone, DroneGun’s drone disruption technology also terminate any video transmission that maybe going back to the pilot and thus helping to safeguard the installation. The DroneGun comes with a backpack that, presumably, contains the electronics like battery and stuff to power the gun, and its rifle-like form allows for easy handling and super quick operation.
As of now, DroneGun is not FCC approved yet and so, technically, it is prohibited from being use in the U.S. I would imagine the guys over at DroneShield are eager to get it approved and have slice of the growing anti-drone pie. Catch DroneGun in action in the video below.
Image: DroneShield.
DroneShield via PetaPixel