#HTE

Skybeam: A Handheld Anti-Drone Jammer

We’ve grown accustomed to seeing police or soldiers armed with assault rifles at transportation hubs and public events. In the near future, we may see additional security members carrying these:

That’s the Skybeam, a handheld anti-drone jammer that targets remote-piloted drones. The attached radio modules can jam “the most popular Remote Piloted Aircraft Systems control, video and GPS frequencies,” has a one-hour battery life and is operated via a single on/off button. The range is up to 3km, and the entire rig weighs 6kg (13.2 lbs).

It’s manufactured by Mistral Group subsidiary Skylock, an Israeli developer of counter-drone technologies. “As technologies advance, drones are becoming faster, smaller and deadlier,” the company writes. “The need for anti-drone counter-measures to mitigate threats is imperative. With the ability to easily add a payload, the use of drones and UAV’s operated by malicious or criminal organisations poses a wide array of threats to public safety and national security.”

With the ubiquity of drones, and with U.S. and global unrest at an all-time high, I’m kind of surprised that drone attacks on civilians hasn’t become a thing. It doesn’t take an overt pessimist to assume we’re just a few events away from objects like the Skybeam becoming a common sight in public venues.