Skip to main content

This anti-drone gun looks beastly, but it’s actually quite gentle

DroneShield DroneGun
With airports, prisons, and other important facilities dealing with a growing number of incursions by amateur drone pilots, tech firms have been springing up to develop gear aimed at dealing with the problem.

The latest bit of kit to hit the market is this badass bazooka-like contraption from Australian firm DroneShield. This is one awesome beast by any standards, and at first glance looks as if it’d have little trouble smashing a rogue drone to smithereens. And then some.

Recommended Videos

In reality, however, the DroneGun’s method of operation is surprisingly gentle.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

When the operator pulls the trigger, you’ll see no destructive projectiles flying forth from the DroneGun. Instead, the device jams the signal between the drone pilot and their bird, forcing the machine to fly rapidly back to the ground.

dronegun
DroneShield
DroneShield

A neat feature also gives the operator the option to trigger the drone’s “return to home” function, making it easier for the authorities to locate the perpetrator so they can investigate the motive behind the possibly illegal flight. Keeping the drone intact also aids later inspection of the machine and preserves evidence in the case of a serious incident.

Sydney-based DroneShield officially launched its rifle-shaped device on Monday. Operated by a single person and used in conjunction with the company’s drone sensor gear, the 13-pound (6 kg) DroneGun can take down rogue quadcopters and other remotely controlled flying machines up to 1.25 miles (2 kilometers) away, a decent range that should be adequate for most locations and situations.

DroneShield says it’s marketing its device globally “to customers who are legally able to purchase it,” which probably means you won’t be using it to patrol the airspace over your house anytime soon.

Peter James, CEO of DroneShield, says is his target market includes “a wide range of customers from government and military agencies to civil infrastructure to VIP protection.”

Other anti-drone solutions that have been getting attention over the last year include this awesome projectile-firing bazooka, a net-carrying interceptor drone used by cops in Japan, and a notably low-tech system that uses trained eagles to pluck rogue drones out of the air.

For a quick look at the DroneGun in action, check out the video at the top of the page.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
Hyundai Ioniq 5 sets world record for greatest altitude change
hyundai ioniq 5 world record altitude change mk02 detail kv

When the Guinness World Records (GWR) book was launched in 1955, the idea was to compile facts and figures that could finally settle often endless arguments in the U.K.’s many pubs.

It quickly evolved into a yearly compilation of world records, big and small, including last year's largest grilled cheese sandwich in the world.

Read more
Global EV sales expected to rise 30% in 2025, S&P Global says
ev sales up 30 percent 2025 byd sealion 7 1stbanner l

While trade wars, tariffs, and wavering subsidies are very much in the cards for the auto industry in 2025, global sales of electric vehicles (EVs) are still expected to rise substantially next year, according to S&P Global Mobility.

"2025 is shaping up to be ultra-challenging for the auto industry, as key regional demand factors limit demand potential and the new U.S. administration adds fresh uncertainty from day one," says Colin Couchman, executive director of global light vehicle forecasting for S&P Global Mobility.

Read more
Faraday Future could unveil lowest-priced EV yet at CES 2025
Faraday Future FF 91

Given existing tariffs and what’s in store from the Trump administration, you’d be forgiven for thinking the global race toward lower electric vehicle (EV) prices will not reach U.S. shores in 2025.

After all, Chinese manufacturers, who sell the least expensive EVs globally, have shelved plans to enter the U.S. market after 100% tariffs were imposed on China-made EVs in September.

Read more