Russian scientists have built an anti-drone system capable of capturing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in the air by trapping it with a net.
The device, involving the deployment of a net inclusive guided missile, has been developed by the scientists of the All-Russian Research Institute of Technical Physics in Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported.
Guided Missile With Trap Net Attached
The guided missile, once released towards a drone, releases a container with a trap net including attached weights in the corners to capture the UAV, the news outlet said, citing the abstract from the patent of the system.
The document further explained that current anti-drone systems with similar features fail to capture high-speed UAVs because of their speed and complex maneuvers.
“It is required to catch up with the target from above and at the speed agreed upon with the goal to” launch “the trap network, which is very difficult and time-consuming. During this time, the target can disappear,” RIA wrote, citing the document.
Quicker Missile Release Results in Improved System
To overcome the challenge, developers have increased the initial speed by which the container is released from the missile, offering the net a better chance of capturing the UAV.
The developers have measured the performance of the system and now plan initial tests of the prototype.