SkyWall100 Anti-Drone System Was Demonstrated to US Marine Corps
British OpenWorks Engineering has published a news article reporting that their SkyWall100 drone capture system has been demonstrated to the Commandant of the US Marine Corps at the Marine Corps Base Quantico for the Non-Lethal Technology Exercise NNTEX-18C. According to the company, many military officials and observers from multiple NATO countries were also present at this event.
SkyWall100 is a man-portable physical drone incapacitation and capture system that consists of a launcher, aiming unit and pneumatically launched intelligent projectiles. These mortar shell shaped projectiles are shot at the UAVs and capture them by deploying a net and entangling the drone. Some of the SkyWall100 projectiles are also equipped with a parachute to safely land the captured UAV.
The SkyWall100 is advertised to be a cost-effective system. For example, the projectiles are reusable. Another feature pointed out by the company is that this system is completely invulnerable to RF and GPS interference which makes it especially valuable for use by law enforcement agencies in urban environments. The system can also be quickly reloaded allowing to engage multiple UAVs.
Here is an excerpt from the OpenWorks Engineering website telling about what capabilities of the SkyWall100 were demonstrated to the US Marin Corps and NATO officials.
SkyWall100 successfully engaged several moving and static drone targets, demonstrating SkyWall’s ability to physically capture and neutralise a drone threat. The system defeated multiple drones including the large DJI S1000 octocopter, that was captured in a simulated live mission when it was armed with an inert payload.
The demonstrations were set to show existing deployed systems such as SkyWall, alongside emerging non-lethal capabilities in countering Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aerial System (LSS sUAS) threats.
Technologies demonstrated included Detection, Identification, Jamming and Physical defeat. The threat briefs and scenarios demonstrated the growing need for a physical interdiction.
When jamming systems were able to disrupt the drone, it would hover allowing SkyWall100 to easily capture the device, ensuring the perpetrator is denied the ability to re-engage the defensive force. This showed SkyWall100s ability to be used alongside other technologies to offer a layered defence.
According to OpenWorks Engineering, the SkyWall100, in conjunction with other anti-drone measures, was deployed to protect the US President Barack Obama during one of his visits to Berlin.
Images from www.openworksengineering.com