China is taking the fight to low-flying drones with a new laser defense system capable of taking down these machines within five seconds after finding them.
The China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP), one of the developers of the laser technology, said the invention is aimed at bringing down unmanned aircraft flying under an altitude of 500 meters and at speeds under 50 meters per second, according to RT. The system was able to shoot down over 300 drones in a recent test, scoring a 100 percent success rate.
The goal for the laser is to protect people during major events in urban areas. The system is designed to be more accurate at taking down drones than snipers and helicopters, which can sometimes lead to unnecessary damage when mistakes are made.
The small-scale, low-cost drones that the CAEP is targeting include those used by terrorists for mapping military and civil facilities in order to threaten national security and/or public safety, TechCrunch reported. The Academy looks to have the laser installed or transported on vehicles.
China isn't the only country working on an anti-drone laser. The U.S. military is already testing such a laser created by Boeing aimed mostly at shooting down rockets, mortar rounds and artillery.
The official Xinhua news agency reported that the CAEP is currently working on other laser security systems that operate in a similar manor, but they are intended to be much stronger and able to shoot down drones in a larger range.
