From sUAS News:
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.
Comments
I'd like to watch them try and catch quadmovr.
Next ... Foe detection and counter evasive measures.
Then counter counter evasive measures.
Etc ...
Every day we have some really odd ideas for drones...
What happens when this netted multi is falling over a populated area? Granted, this didn't happen in the US but as far as I know, we're not supposed to shoot anything from a flying vehicle either. I assume the "rules" don't apply to those operating the countermeasures it seems.
The net seems to be fairly course and strainy. I'm wondering if spraying a conductive and/or sticky liquid solution would work as well to short the electronics or gum up the rotors. Some sort of electronic countermeasure might work as well but might have unintended side effects. Much harder to take down a fixed wing though...no quad could keep up.
And so the drone aerial warfare begins.
I thought it would be easier to simply hover a larger copter over the target, and the downwash will force it to to descend. You'd probably just need to combine it with optical tracking so it can remain over target more effectively than a human controller could.
I suppose the net trick could easily be done by replacing the parachute in a typical launcher with a net.
Not very safe, I thought they would at least retain the fillet and release it once on the ground.
Even if the huntscopter has not enough payload to retain completelly, as least it can lower the fall. once descent terminated, release the cable...
There are lost of huntscopter videos here and there but nobody seems to have studyed the question...
Drone Wars...
The war against the proliferation of bad ideas ;-)