DLR hunts down enemy drones

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is developing technologies for drone defense. According to DLR, the aim is to detect and intercept unwanted drones. These technologies are being tested at the DLR's National Test Centre for Unmanned Aerial Systems in Cochstedt in Saxony-Anhalt.

Drones are now widely used both privately and commercially – in photography, as delivery vehicles, or for reconnaissance or monitoring accident sites. At the same time, however, the unmanned aerial vehicles are used in negative ways: to disrupt air traffic, for example, for espionage or as weapons in war. The aim of the Counter-UAS Technologies for Detection, Interception, and Neutralization (CUSTODIAN) project, in which twelve DLR institutes and facilities are involved, is to effectively render the latter harmless.

There are two aspects to this: Firstly, the aim is to identify and locate unwanted drones and to track them, DLR announced. This is done using lasers, radar, or cameras that operate in different spectral ranges. The corresponding systems can be mounted on vehicles or trailers.

The data from these sensors is used to create an image of the situation. This is then used to decide which countermeasures to take against the unwanted drones. DLR is testing various options here.

Ramming, capturing, disrupting

For example, a drone can fly up and ram the intruder, causing it to crash. Alternatively, an interceptor drone can capture it with a net. Drones can also be obstructed with jamming signals.

In Cochstedt, the DLR demonstrated how an enemy drone can be forced to land by deliberately influencing the navigation signal and how it can be rammed by an interceptor drone. According to the DLR Institute of Flight Systems, which measure is used in an emergency depends on the current circumstances: in addition to the targeted effect, “the safety of the surroundings […] takes center stage.”

“The changing security situation in recent months and weeks over Germany and now also in our neighboring countries makes it urgently necessary for us to pool our expertise by exchanging knowledge,” said DLR Director Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla. “We are focusing on our drone competence center at Cochstedt Airport, where unmanned aerial systems and their resilience are tested in action, as well as measures for drone defense.”

Due to the increasing number of incidents involving drones, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) wants to extend the powers of the Bundeswehr. It should be allowed to provide administrative assistance to the police “especially in drone defense operations.” During the “Red Storm Bravo” maneuver, which was held in Hamburg recently, the Bundeswehr rehearsed drone defense with Argus Interception, a drone that shoots nets to bring down other drones.

(wpl)