High-energy microwave pulses to take out swarms of drones
https://www.digitaltrends.com/features/anti-drone-microwave-gun/
QuoteThe energy weapon solution can be mounted on a truck, ship, or a variety of other vehicles or platforms, depending on what is required by the customer. The beam it fires out can be narrowed or widened based on the specifications of the target. Want to instantly stop a swarm of approaching drones? Widen the beam. Looking for an energy weapon sniper rifle that can hit just one drone out of a group? Narrow it down to a needle-like point. It's also fast. The directed energy weapon produces a very high rate of fire, equivalent to multiple rounds per second.
I wonder if these are cheap enough to deploy over major fires if the military isn't actively using them. Every year, the fire air support gets grounded at major fires because of people who insist on flying their drones.
> fires
My first thought was airports. Like the problem with drones Heathrow had a couple of years back. Probably a bad idea because some Lufthansa flight circling the airport would get zapped. Nevermind.
Well, that's the thing. Airspace above a fire is supposed to be closed. Some idiot flies a drone to get a picture and they have to ground all aircraft. Some of those aircraft could be flying to a water drop for firefighters facing down a hotspot, possibly even in mortal danger.
It has happened at least once on every major fire in our area over the last few years. I'd love to just see all those drones shot down immediately, airspace declared clear, and the drops brought in to save lives and houses.