Because of their ability to reach inaccessible places at low costs, drones are used for numerous purposes ranging from military to rescue operations to surveying and delivering goods. But they can also be dangerous, as we’ve seen such drones used for all sorts of nefarious purposes. With more drones in the sky every day, we’ve seen a number of devices that are designed to take dangerous drones down from the sky.
Now, a Lithuanian hacker Aleksey Zaitsevsky has presented one more option, the Drone Interceptor, that utilizes its own propellors to spread out a net to get the job done. The aircraft stands out through the high power-to-weight ratio that gives it a competitive advantage over other such solutions, allowing it to fly fast to quickly identify and reach the potential target.
The Drone Interceptor uses two cameras onboard – the front-facing camera to find the troublesome target drone and the top camera to position the net exactly where it is needed. Once it determines the other drone that should be brought down, the Drone Interceptor gets positioned underneath it. Its four individual rotors then rapidly accelerate and detach from the frame to send the Kevlar net toward the offending drone upon a command from the pilot. The Kevlar net blocks the target’s rotors and disrupts the glider control. After an attack, the interceptor descends using a parachute and emits a sound signal, allowing it to be more easily retrieved for reuse.
The device is reusable and designed to be thrown directly from its box. Aleksey Zaitsevsky has patented his invention but has not indicated whether he intends to market it. Such a device could be useful for intercepting amateur drones that fly over airports and pose a risk to aircraft, as well as capturing enemy drones in war zones.
