'DroneGun' Can Take Down Aircraft From Over 1.2 Miles Away (thenextweb.com)

The more drones being sold around the world increases the likelihood of them being used as part of a criminal act. For example, ISIS has been using drones in Iraq to carry and drop explosives. In an effort to protect consumers, an Australian and U.S. company called DroneShield has announced a product called the DroneGun. The DroneGun "allows for a controlled management of drone payload, such as explosives, with no damage to common drone models or the surrounding environment," the maker says on its website, "due to the drones generally responding via a vertical controlled landing on the spot, or returning back to the starting point (assisting to track the operator)." The Next Web reports: DroneGun, a handheld anti-drone device, has a range of 1.2 miles. It also looks like an unlockable item in a first-person shooter. The "gun" uses a jammer to disable electronic communication across the 2.4 and 5.8 GHz frequencies. Blocking these frequencies cuts off communication between the drone and pilot (or GPS) and forces it to land safely or return to its operator -- which assists in tracking the offending party. At 13 pounds, it's a bit cumbersome, but still capable of being operated by one person. It's also mostly a point-and-shoot device and doesn't require specialized training to use. DroneGun isn't approved for use in the United States -- thanks, FCC. If approved the device could provide a useful tool for taking down drones at airports, over crowded spaces, and in war zones.

Comments

Autopilot

[BitZtream]

Dude, I'm not flying the bomb to your house while holding the transmitter, I'm turning on the auto pilot, letting it sit there for an hour, then take off and bomb you while I'm 2 states away. Oh, and I'm doing this on software thats a couple years old (ArduPilot from a few years ago) so ...

This is useful for taking down your DJI phantom ... but as far as taking down a weaponized toy? Yea, no, you're going to need to hit inertial management and GPS based on what I can build for a hundred bucks. Give me 200 and I'll start doing optical guidance.

Re:Autopilot

[drinkypoo]

FYI: You're on the "terrist" watch list now if you weren't already.

A ~$120 quad with a couple of added goodies (Either that or DIY: Neewer SK450 or F450, XXD 30A ESCs and 1000kV motors, cheapest-possible 4S 5AH battery, ~$18 Naze32 and $15 neo8m, $5 bluetooth to serial) can fly for over two miles at a total takeoff weight of 2 kg. It weighs 680g and the $30 battery weighs 650g. The total weight of a M67 grenade is only 400g and you should be able to pull the pin with an inexpensive winch constructed from a $8 eBay metal gear continuous drive servomotor which weighs 60g. Most of what you need comes with the servo since it comes with horns. Presumably you could improvise your own explosive, but I'm told it's not impossible to get one's hands on grenades.

Everything you need except the explosive can be simply purchased from eBay and/or HobbyKing. If you want to manage standby power you'll need a computer-controlled charger, those are readily available. So who exactly is this stuff supposed to be a secret from? You can google all of this up; I just did. I've been a loudmouth on the web about as long as there has bee one, so I think it's safe to say I'm already on watch lists. I don't have any problem passing an FBI background check though, or at least, I didn't last time I tried to work for a casino. The devil you know? Or maybe they just don't give a shit.

Stop the fucking clickbait Slashdot, seriously

[readingprofile]

Yes, drones are aircraft, but not all aircraft are drones. This story (and the summary) is specifically focused on jamming drone communications. The Slashdot title however uses the word aircraft instead of drone, which would initially lead something into thinking this was something that could be used to take down passenger aircraft.

Even if it can cause some radio interference to an airliner (not sure if it can or if it would even matter, just speculating), the very specific use of the word "Aircraft" rather than "Drones" in the title is not an accident. Slashdot, you're supposed to be better than that. I thought your new owners were going to be trying to improve its reputation. That, along with other crappy stories and a fixation on a lot of non-geek news as well, is kinda looking a lot like the new boss is the same as the old boss.

Anyway...

[HBI]

I did some time in Iraq with an EOD group. They made big booms. I work around controlled dets all day, even now. Big booms also, though not as big as the ones the EOD guys made in abandoned dwellings. Anyway, i'd rather have the det be 40 yards away than right near me, thanks. Also, a drone can't carry all that much metal aloft, so the shrapnel possibilities are low. More worried about shrapnel than the actual explosive.

Re:shotgun more effective

[CaptQuark]

Shooting down UAVs near your property makes about as much sense as shooting the tires of speeders in your neighborhood. Talk about overreacting!

Do you also grab the shotgun when you see a kite above your property? Kites can also carry cameras on stabilized platforms. So can balloons.

Also, if you fire a weapon within your city or county limits, you will be talking to the authorities anyway.

--

WiFi Killer

[Roger W Moore]

Birdshot at 40 yards should do the trick.

It would also have the advantage of not taking out every WiFi in 1.2 miles.