These small drones, available online and at commercial stores alike, are able to carry more weight, fly longer distances and maneuver more precisely.

While the vast majority of these are safely used by enthusiasts and hobbyists, the possibility of using drones as a weapon in crowded urban areas or sensitive locations is a constant concern for law enforcement and the US military alike.

In response to these threats, Finmeccanica’s Selex ES developed Falcon Shield, a unique anti-UAV system with the capability to seize control of a drone and direct it - safely - to the ground with a portable radar and electro-optical/infrared camera-based system.

This unique, and successfully tested, ability gives system operators a distinct advantage over similar systems that use widespread jamming signals that cause the drone to drop out of the sky, a significant hazard in busy urban areas. Falcon Shield gives operators a much higher level of control over a threat by taking control of a rogue drone from various distances and safely landing it away from its target prior to the last-resort need of kinetically hitting it.