Researchers from Michigan Technological University have demonstrated their net-shooting “drone-catcher” anti-drone.
The team from the University’s HIRoLab created the device that captures other UAVs by firing a net directly at them, before hauling them away unceremoniously.
HIRoLab’s drone can fly both autonomously and with a pilot controlling it, and carries its prey to a secure location before dropping it.
It’s similar to a drone used by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, which uses a hanging net to catch rogue UAVs.
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Related: Flying a drone: Everything you need to know
Associate Professor of mechanical engineering at Michigan Tech, Mo Rastgaar, got the idea for the anti-drone after watching World Cup football.
After hearing about snipers protecting the crowd, he began to doubt their ability to deal with drone attacks.
Last January, a DJI Phantom quadcopter crashed on the White House lawn, while another was flown towards German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a campaign rally.
Related: DJI Phantom 3 Professional review
Rastgaar and his team therefore set about developing the new system, which can capture drones up to 40ft away.
The research team says the anti-drone could have a range of applications, such as foiling spy drones and terrorist attacks, and enforcing new Federal Aviation Administration laws by capturing unregistered drones.
Rastgaar and his team have filed a patent for the device.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
