A high-powered ray gun that can jam drone signals and stop them mid-flight is being tested out by the US government’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The tech is desirable as it’s expected to clear and secure airspace around airports. It has the potential to detect small, unmanned aerial vehicles that are flying around the airport and may potentially be owned and operated by terrorists and smugglers.
Deemed the Anti-UAV Defense System (Auds), the drone-freezing ray was developed by three British companies – Enterprise Control Systems, Blighter Surveillance Systems, and Chess Dynamics.
But how exactly does the drone-freezing ray work? First, a thermal imaging camera allows the Auds operator to target a particular drone. Once the drone has been located, a very high-powered radio signal is then activated, jamming the drones’ signals, making them unresponsive.
Auds operators have the ability to freeze drones and warn pilots if they think something is wrong with the device. It can also crash devices by installing drones in the air for as long as the battery lasts.
In addition to the Auds, the US Army also has weapons able to destroy larger drones. Projectiles can be launched and steered to drones using ground-based radars.
The drone-freezing ray is set to be tested at several airports to be selected by the FAA. Two other US-based firms – Gryphon Sensors LLC and Sensofusion – will also take part.
Source: BBC
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