Battelle DroneDefender systems are non-kinetic cUAS solutions developed to instantaneously defend airspace against commercial drones without compromising safety or risking collateral damage.
Federal and defense authorities stage the annual Black Dart Event to test new technologies designed to counter the burgeoning threat of rogue or nefarious Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS).
Battelle was eager to show the capabilities of its anti-drone device and give a sneak peek of the advanced features of a prototype DroneDefender at the recent exercise at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida.
Battelle’s DroneDefender has piqued the interest of authorities around the world.
The technology is restricted to use by federal authorities under a strict permitting process, but sales are taking off with more than 200 units sold to the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and international customers.
(Drones are great, but not when someone is doing something bad with one, like encroaching on protected airspace or spying on a forward-operating base. We’ve got an answer. Courtesy of Battelle and YouTube)
Wide adoption around the world has resulted in DroneDefender becoming the most prolific UAS defeat solution.
DroneDefender is the first man-portable, accurate and easy-to-use system to provide critical security protection in a world where these commercially available Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) are showing up at important government buildings, large gatherings of people and other sensitive sites.
DroneDefender uses radio control frequency disruption to safely stop drones in the air before they can pose a threat to military or civilian safety.
It is an inexpensive, lightweight point-and-shoot system with a demonstrated range of 400 meters.
When the DroneDefender takes aim at the drone, most drones revert to one of three pre-programmed protocols:
- Hover in place
- Slowly descend and land, or
- Return to its flight origin point
“We know that the threat posed by nefarious UAS is constantly evolving and we have to adapt our technology to meet those new threats,” said Dan Stamm, a Battelle researcher who helped develop it along with fellow scientist Alex Morrow.
“We’re eager to get the DroneDefender in the hands of authorized users so that they can keep ahead of the threat,” Morrow said.
This innovative system provides instantaneous disruption of unwanted UAS using two different defenses:
- Remote control drone disruption
- GPS disruption
Successfully tested and demonstrated against drone targets, the DroneDefender system has provided a consistent response in federal government-conducted field demonstrations.
(Battelle DroneDefender used in Army Training Exercise (DVIDS B-roll) Courtesy of DVIDS
Army Warfighting Assessment Drone Defender B Roll, Battelle and YouTube)
The remote control and GPS disruption responses are fast-acting, resulting in instant threat mitigation.
DroneDefender features include:
- Runs for up to 5 hours continuous
- Weights no more than 15 pounds (configuration dependent)
- Multiple antennas
- Disruption electronics
- Picatinny rail mount available
- Battery operated
Handheld Unit
The DroneDefender handheld units are portable, intuitive and man-in-the-loop.
The system employs two different defenses to disrupt unwanted UAS—remote control disruption and GPS disruption.
Ground-based Unit
The DroneDefender ground-based system leverages the technology developed for the handheld system for a more capable cUAS solution.
The remote control defeat capability can be paired with a detection and tracking system and integrated with almost any 360° positioner.
By mounting the disruption capability on a mechanical positioner, the ground-based DroneDefender system utilizes significantly amplified power, increased antenna gains, and the precision aim-point of the positioner to neutralize UAS threats at much greater distances than the handheld version.
Battelle is continually refining the DroneDefender technology to help ensure its continued value in securing U.S. assets.
The newest version that is currently in development has added technical capabilities, removed the backpack resulting in a reduced size and weight, has an improved user interface, and is less expensive.
Battelle has a long history of developing tactical equipment for many branches of the military, working closely with operators to develop, build and field critical equipment to help meet mission needs.
DroneDefender units are being produced at Battelle’s Advanced Manufacturing facility in Dublin, Ohio.
