Although highly controversial statements followed by a sling of social networks, the co-founder of Oculus Palmer Luckey has managed to rebound in the sector of counter-drone (more commonly known as killer drones)!
His company, Anduril Industries, is now offering the Interceptor, a combat drone capable of intercepting or destroying another drone in midflight by ramming them head-on.
The flagship of the Anduril startup, the Interceptor, looks like a “classic” drone, but its onboard autopilot system makes it a device capable of defending a building against any drone attack independently. It tracks unidentified drones, scanning space using a computer vision system. After the target is found, the drone asks the human operator for permission before firing on any intruder entering its defensive zone.
Designed for military use, the Anduril drone weighs roughly like a bowling ball. It can completely disable a drone hovering 100 feet off the ground, smashing into the craft from below and coming away unscathed, writes NBC News.
The startup has developed a digital vision system called Lattice (the company’s main product), a system designed to identify migrants when they cross the border separating Mexico from the United States. During its ten weeks of testing in 2018, Lattice was able to detect 55 people attempting to cross the Mexican-US border.
As it’s marketed, Interceptor is strictly a defensive tool. It’s theoretically saving lives rather than taking them. This isn’t just an idea in search of customers. Bloomberg noted that Anduril began shipping dozens of Interceptors to the US and UK earlier this year, with hundreds of more units in the pipeline. Its newest contract will bring Interceptors to conflict areas.
