SINGAPORE: Home Team agencies may soon have in their arsenal a high-speed drone that can intercept rogue drones, pursuing and capturing them with a net.
The drone interceptor, created by the Robotics, Automation and Unmanned Systems Centre of Expertise (RAUS CoE), is the first of its kind in the world to operate without the global positioning system (GPS).
Current counter-drone systems work by blocking a drone’s radio frequency communication links and GPS signals.
“However, jammed drones may still hover in place or crash unpredictably, posing risks if they are carrying dangerous payloads,” the Home Team Science and Technology Agency (HTX) said.
“This challenge is even greater in dense urban environments like Singapore, where traditional counter-drone techniques become harder to execute safely in crowded places, between tall buildings that might result in serious consequences should the drone crash.”
The new device was among over 20 innovations on show at HTX’s annual TechXplore, which showcases some of its most cutting-edge technologies.
This year’s edition was held in Garage@HTX in Jurong, Singapore’s first purpose-built developmental testing and evaluation facility for public safety.
The facility, launched by Minister for Law and Second Minister for Home Affairs Edwin Tong on Monday (Oct 13), lets HTX test and evaluate the safety and functionality of assets like drones, vehicles and communications systems, before deploying them.
ENHANCING OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES
Also unveiled on Monday was a remotely operated underwater search robot guided by artificial intelligence (AI).
