Drone v drone, catcher canon nets RPAS in flight.

Gary Mortimer

Nowadays it is relatively easy and cheap to buy a drone. Drones can be easily used for smuggling or to disturb public order.

To counter the threat of unlawful use of unmanned systems, the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice, together with the Dutch National Police and the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, has selected a number of projects in which concepts are developed that can be used to detect, indentify and/or remove these mobile systems in a controlled manner. Project ‘DroneCatcher’ of the Dutch SME Delft Dynamics, is one of the best ideas that has been selected to carry out a feasibility study.

Last week Delft Dynamics successfully completed a range of test flights, which showed that is is feasible to capture drones in midair by shooting a net from another drone.

The DroneCatcher is able to quickly approach the threat. With the help of its onboard camera the netgun can be aimed and fired. Depending on the weight of the system that is to be removed, the DroneCatcher can carry the caught drone and bring it to a harmful place. Alternatively, low impact on the ground is ensured by using a parachute coupled to the net.

With this successful test Delft Dynamics has shown the potential of the DroneCatcher concept and hopes to start a research and development project to improve the system and make it operational.