California-based technical and industrial innovations company IXI Technology is displaying its compact, hand-held Drone Killer counter-UAS system at DSEI (Stand N5-250).
Drone Killer has been created to disable UAVs that could be used by criminal, terrorist or regular enemy forces for observation or attack purposes.
It uses radio frequency (RF) power to disrupt the UAV’s command and control link and/ or GPS guidance, forcing it to land immediately or return to its launch point.
Whereas existing counter- UAS systems are typically fixed to provide protection around critical infrastructure and strategic locations, Drone Killer is packaged into a bull-pup rifle-type design that weighs less than 6kg and is 55cm long.
Effective ‘take-down’ range is a function of visibility, and is typically around 400m. The installed RF sensor has a range against C2 and data signals of around 2 miles, providing a basic signal classification into UAS, ground station or unknown categories. The system employs a Li-ion battery that can be recharged from a variety of sources, including a standard 12V vehicle power point. It gives six hours of sensor-mode operation and 45 minutes of continuous jamming effect. This endurance can be put to use to enable IED or CBRN teams to investigate a downed UAV. As it can easily be carried by a single person, Drone Killer can be used in a greatly expanded number of applications. In military use, the system can be deployed by mobile teams in the field, and for the protection of the smaller and more remote forward outposts and checkpoints that do not have fixed counter-UAS protection.
By deploying Drone Killer with lead and rear units, the system can also provide convoy protection, while it can be used as a gap-filler in fixed ‘electronic fence’ installations.
Drone Killer also has security force and first-responder applications, and could be used for VIP and event protection, and in an anti-terrorism role.