Airobotics’ new AI-powered anti-drone system uses net, parachute to capture hostile aircraft

Drone-in-a-box solution specialist Airobotics has launched a fully-automated anti-drone solution, Iron Drone, at the ongoing World Police Summit in Dubai. Instead of relying on GPS or RF jamming, the new AI-powered counter-drone technology uses a net and parachute system to capture the target aircraft.

Iron Drone is designed especially for intercepting hostile small drones in areas where the use of jamming is prohibited, such as airports, populated areas, and critical infrastructures. Here’s how the system works.

When a suspicious target is detected by the external drone detection system, Iron Drone launches a RAIDER interceptor aircraft from a designated pod to autonomously fly toward the target under radar guidance. Then, the intercepting drone identifies and “locks on” to the target using its day/night camera and computer vision capabilities. At the same time, it begins to provide live video of the rogue drone to a human operator.

The operator then decides whether the suspicious drone should be escorted away or captured. In the latter case, the intercepting drone uses a ballistic net and parachute to incapacitate the target and lower it to the ground.

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The Iron Drone solution is named after its Israel-based parent company whose acquisition was completed by Airobotics earlier this week. In the meantime, it should be highlighted that Airobotics itself is a subsidiary of Ondas Holdings, which also owns another player in the automated drone industry, American Robotics.

Ondas will integrate Iron Drone’s counter-drone technology within its business unit of Ondas Autonomous Systems which already utilizes Airobotics’ Optimus drones for monitoring, observation, and video surveillance. Iron Drone will be available to customers as both a standalone technology offering and as an addition to the Optimus System Urban Drone Infrastructure, whose initial deployment is planned across Abu Dhabi for public service.

Meir Kliner, president of Ondas Autonomous Systems, says:

We have already been approached by various potential customers who are looking for a reliable, non-weaponized counter-drone solution. The unique integrated AI-based Iron Drone solution relies on the physical elimination of the target drone. This makes it effective against pre-programmed hostile drones and UAVs which do not rely on operators’ radio-link.

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