Russian military personnel have started using drones equipped with a "harpoon" system to engage aerial targets. The new technology allows disabling enemy drones directly in flight by damaging their propellers.
Operators of unmanned systems from the "Sever" group use specially modified quadcopters for aerial interception. These devices are equipped with systems that deploy a net or a so-called "harpoon," designed for physical impact on the target.
To disable enemy reconnaissance drones, similar quadcopters with a system for dropping an attached net or "harpoon" are also used, which cut the blades of enemy UAVs in flight.
The new tactic complements existing methods of countering drones and demonstrates the development of aerial interception means based on commercial quadcopters.
Interest in kinetic methods of drone interception has significantly increased amid the widespread proliferation of small reconnaissance drones. Unlike electronic warfare systems, these solutions do not depend on communication channel characteristics and can directly impact the target. The use of nets, grappling devices, and mechanical damaging elements is considered one of the most accessible ways to combat small UAVs at short distances.
