Video: DroneCatcher Downs Naughty UAVs With a Net

To catch a drone, deploy a drone.

For a Dutch drone-mitigation firm, that’s not just a clever turn of phrase, it’s the basis for a solid business model. Delft Dynamics has posted a new video that demonstrates just how effectively an anti-drone system can neutralize rogue or errant drones.

Several agencies from military to police have invested time and funds into the quandary of how to remove UAS from unauthorized areas – airports, installations, prisons or infrastructure.

While most drone operators fly aircraft legally and safely, sinister or just plain stupid pilots have sparked fear and loathing in the public-safety community with their antics. Some companies have released radio-jamming “rifles” to down naughty drones; however, many nations have regulations in place to restrict jamming disruption technology.

Delft offers a simpler solution – detect, locate and take down drones with a quadcopter and a “net gun.” DroneCatcher can identify a potentially errant drone via radar, visual or acoustic system. Using a multiple array of onboard sensors, the hunter drone can lock on to an unauthorized UAV and “shoot” it with the net gun, carrying the baddie away to a safer place on the ground.

In its latest video, Delft depicts DroneCatcher doing just that – seek and disable — in a scene almost reminiscent of the Terminator.

A company press release explains:

After detection by for example radar, vision or an acoustic system, DroneCatcher is able to quickly approach hovering or moving threats. With the use of multiple onboard sensors, the netgun can be locked on the target. Thanks to DroneCatcher’s track & trace capabilities, the drone will be caught by shooting a net. After the catch, DroneCatcher can bring the captured drone attached with a cable, to a harmless place. When the caught drone is too heavy to tow, the target can be dropped with a parachute to ensure low impact on the ground.

It’s a solution that has captured (pun intended) the attention of several agencies including the company’s native Dutch officials. The project has the support of the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (Military Police), the Dutch National Police and the Dutch Ministry of Safety and Justice,

In September, Delft unveiled the DroneCatcher project during Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) in London.