Moscow unveils anti-UAV device which ‘forces’ drones to land

Russia’s Emergencies Ministry showed off a new device which intercepts and ‘grounds’ menacing drones that disrupt rescue operations in disaster areas.

The portable device was shown at a large-scale exercise during an international disaster response expo near Moscow on Saturday, local media reported.

The technology allows responders to intercept any “unauthorized” UAVs operating in disaster areas and bring them into “forced landings.” The presence of civilian drones during disasters has long been a problem for response teams since they risk disrupting the work of relief aircraft, like air tankers water-bombing or medevac helicopters.

The reports did not specify how exactly the new devices make drones land. Companies in different states provide various ways to combat UAVs, such as jamming their signal and taking control over the vehicles mid-flight. Others offer more ‘violent’ solutions, like shooting the drones down with nets and lasers. 

There has been an upswing in anti-UAV technology in recent years in response to growing concerns over their spread and availability. In January, a few drones, operated by local enthusiasts, caused chaos and panic at Heathrow and Gatwick airports in London, delaying and grounding more than 1,000 flights.

There have also been reports of UAVs being used for terrorist attacks. In August, a pair of drones rigged with explosives was used in a plot to assassinate Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Similarly, militants in Syria deployed homemade UAVs several times to strike the Khmeimim Air Base, which houses Russian jets.

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