Laser against drones: German start-up relies on precision and mobility
Inleap Photonics is adapting its industrial laser beam steering for defense purposes, seeing technical advantages over existing approaches.
The prototype of the laser drone defense system called "Inleap Fastlight Shield".
(Image: Inleap Photonics.)
The German start-up Inleap Photonics has successfully tested a prototype of its laser-based drone defense system called "Inleap Fastlight Shield" and announced pre-seed funding. The funding round was led by High-Tech GrĂĽnderfonds (HTGF) and other investors. The company did not disclose the investment amount.
Inleap Photonics originally specialized in industrial laser applications. It developed a laser beam steering system that is said to be many times faster than existing systems, making manufacturing processes, such as in battery cell production, more efficient.
Given the growing threat from drones, the company has expanded its portfolio towards defense and is developing a system for laser-based defense against small drones of UAS types 1 and 2 (UAS stands for "Unmanned Aircraft System"). These have become central to the war in Ukraine, as they enable permanent reconnaissance of the battlefield and significantly shorten the time between target acquisition and engagement.
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Furthermore, these small drones pose a growing risk to civilian and critical infrastructure, as they are cost-effective and easy to deploy. Energy plants, airports, or industrial complexes can be spied on from a distance or attacked with improvised explosive devices. Their low price, small size, and low flight altitude make defense with conventional means difficult or economically inefficient.
Laser-based systems are considered a possible alternative, as they consume only electricity instead of ballistic ammunition, promise low costs per engagement, and can be precisely aimed at small flying objects. In densely built-up urban areas, they could thus complement classic air defense systems – provided there is a clear line of sight and the system has sufficient operating time.
Laser defense in pallet format
Inleap Photonics was founded in 2023 out of the Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. The start-up is developing drone defense based on its industrially proven technology. Its core innovation lies in fast and precise laser beam steering with an extremely small focus diameter, says co-founder and CEO Marius Lammers. "This allows the effect to be concentrated precisely on critical components of a drone, enabling very short interception times while reducing the overall required power."
(Image:Â Inleap Photonics)
Due to the high energy concentration at the target point, the required laser output power is less than 10 kilowatts. In contrast, conventional laser defense systems against drones often operate in the range of about 50 to 100 kilowatts to deliver sufficient energy over longer distances. The engagement distance is up to 3 kilometers, depending on target size and environmental conditions, says Lammers. The energy costs per engagement are said to be less than one euro. However, whether the system is profitable in the end depends on the acquisition costs and frequency of use.
In terms of size and mobility, Inleap Photonics' laser defense could also offer advantages, as it is "Euro-pallet sized" according to Lammers, making it suitable for temporary deployment sites and mobile protection scenarios. For target acquisition, the start-up relies on AI-supported vulnerability detection. The effect occurs in less than a second through targeted irradiation. According to Lammers, this precise and controlled approach differs from existing systems, which often have a broader and less targeted effect.
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On its website, the company advertises 2,500 times faster laser beam steering and a theoretical defense capability of up to 300 drones per minute. However, the actual effectiveness also depends on visibility conditions (fog, smoke, rain) and robust target tracking.
From prototype to series production
With the capital from the pre-seed funding, Inleap Photonics intends to expand its infrastructure and transition from prototype construction to series production, says Lammers. The latter is planned to be operational from 2027. The timeline depends, among other things, on regulatory requirements and the demands of potential customers, says the CEO. For this reason, the start-up deliberately speaks of a "gradual market entry".
Laser-based drone defense is already being tested internationally, for example with Israel's Iron Beam or the US system DE-M-SHORAD. In Europe, consortia with industrial partners such as Rheinmetall and Leonardo are advancing their own solution in the TALOS-TWO project, which, however, is not expected to be available until the end of the decade. Great Britain also reported successful tests with DragonFire, while commercial providers like EOS are already accepting orders.
(olb)
