Dronegun can take down unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from 1.2 miles away, and it does so without damaging the UAV and its cargo, which means it won’t mistakenly activate a dangerous payload on the ground.
The gun, manufactured by a company called DroneShield, looks a bit like a cross between a video game weapon and a three-pronged electrical plug. Much of its tech is carried in a backpack, which makes it more portable than other anti-drone systems, and DroneShield said it was designed so anyone can use it without any training. All they have to do is point and shoot.
DroneShield CFO Oleg Vornik tells Inverse that Dronegun is a companion to the company’s other products, which are used to detect drones by monitoring an area’s noise levels and using the company’s “secret sauce” to figure out if a drone’s hum can be heard in the background. The system then signals that a drone has been detected and offers a location.
Vornik says the company has been working on these systems for the last three years. It’s shipped more than 200 units and works with distributors in 35 different countries. Many customers wanted something to help them respond to drones instead of merely detecting them, however, so the company started to develop what ultimately became the Dronegun about six months ago.
As UAVs become cheaper and more readily available, he said, it’s become easier for anyone to spy on or harm to others. But you can’t just shoot down every drone you see — this would inevitably lead to injured bystanders, very angry hobbyists, or accidentally activated payloads.
Some have turned to technology. Recently declassified video showcased a microwave gun made by Raytheon to fry entire drone swarms with a single shot. The device — which, to the joy of many Star Trek fans, is called the Phaser — can be used to either destroy or disable its targets. But it’s also very big, and it’s not clear when it might be used on the battlefield.
Vornik tells Inverse that Dronegun will compete with devices like the Phaser on price — it costs tens of thousands of dollars, which is cheaper than larger systems made by defense contractors — and portability. He also said that DroneShield made the Dronegun portable and gun-like because that’s what police officers, soldiers, and the product’s other intended users know.
Source: Inverse
It is my understanding that no one except the FBI or the Secret Service can bring down an aircraft legally. Certainly not a thug security guard. UAV’s are aircraft and are not to be indiscriminately downed.