High-tech fly swatter targets rogue drones

Uninvited drones, especially small ones flying slowly at low altitude, have created disruption around the world and also a business opportunity for Chinese defense contractors looking to meet the huge demand for affordable, reliable solutions to the security threats they pose.

China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp's 206th Institute, which is based in Beijing, is a leader in the domestic counter-drone market. One of the first developers of anti-drone systems in China, it has helped protect a number of significant events, including the Boao Forum for Asia, BRICS Summit and Asian Games.

The institute will soon deliver six sets of the latest version of its Tianwang (Skynet) system to the police in Shenyang, Liaoning province.

Featuring many technologies used on Chinese air-defense missiles, Tianwang fires a rocket after it detects an incoming target. The rocket ejects a large net after approaching the rogue drone, disabling the target and bringing it down to the ground with a parachute.

The high-tech fly swatter will provide a major boost to the ability of Shenyang's police to handle security risks from small drones, Shen Yan, Tianwang's project manager, said on Sunday. "We have conducted several trial runs in Shenyang with the vehicle-mounted variant of Tianwang and it never failed to capture the target," he said.

Tianwang is capable of providing high-accuracy, long-range protection to public security or border defense units, government sites, military bases, transport hubs and high-value assets such as oil fields, Shen said.

Though unmanned aircraft have become popular in many businesses thanks to their low cost and ease of deployment and control, they also pose a challenge to public security and civil aviation authorities worldwide.

Gatwick Airport in London, Britain's second-busiest air hub, was shut down for 32 hours in December due to what local police called a "deliberate act" of disruption by drones. Air transport at Japan's Kansai International Airport has been affected three times over the past 30 days. In China, small drones have also disrupted airport operations and public events.

"Some foreign clients from Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America have made contact with us as they are interested in our solutions," Shen said.