DLR Develops Drone Defense Tech as Threats Grow
The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is working on technologies to detect and intercept unwanted drones. This comes as drones, while beneficial in photography and delivery, also pose threats to air traffic and privacy. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt plans to bolster the Bundeswehr's role in drone defense.
DLR's project CUSTODIAN focuses on identifying and tracking unwanted drones using various sensors. Tests are conducted at the National Test Center in Cochstedt, Saxony-Anhalt. Here, DLR has successfully demonstrated forcing a drone to land by interfering with its navigation signal and ramming it with an interception drone.
The center is exploring different countermeasures, including ramming, capturing with nets, and jamming signals. In an exercise called 'Red Storm Bravo', the Bundeswehr practiced using Argus Interception, a drone that fires nets to bring down others. DLR CEO Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla stresses the importance of testing and knowledge exchange at Cochstedt Airport.
DLR's CUSTODIAN project aims to effectively neutralize drone threats, involving twelve DLR institutes. As drones' use expands, so does the need for robust drone defense measures. The project's progress and the Bundeswehr's involvement highlight Germany's commitment to addressing these challenges.
