Benelli’s new M4 A.I. Drone Guardian shotgun helps stop FPV drones at close range.

Benelli displayed the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian at Milipol 2025, a modified M4 semi-automatic shotgun optimized to increase the hit probability against mini UAVs and FPV drones within a 50-meter range.

At Milipol 2025, Benelli displayed its M4 A.I. Drone Guardian, a 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun adapted for close-range counter-drone engagements, which emerged from internal studies and user feedback about the rapid spread of drones and FPVs in recent conflicts and in domestic security incidents, where they can appear suddenly and at close distance. Therefore, Benelli's engineers took existing Advanced Impact barrels, first created for long-distance hunting applications, and adapted them to the M4 with new chokes and ammunition to match the size and vulnerability of mini-UAVs.
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At the core of the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian is the idea that a 12-gauge shotgun, traditionally used for breaching, close-quarters combat, and various utility tasks, can be repurposed as a short-range anti-drone weapon if the barrel, choke, and ammunition are optimized for this role. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

Company representatives previously indicated that a low-rate production of the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian began in late 2024, and that several European forces and U.S. agencies, including federal law enforcement forces and special operations units, requested test weapons, as it can be used at ranges where rifles and pistols cannot provide the required hit probability. The weapon is already available in two variants; the shorter 18.5-inch is intended for mobile users, while the longer 26-inch targets static defence of bases, ministries, police installations, airports, malls, and other sensitive facilities. The company also highlighted how the emergence of low-flying explosive drones, often used to attack infantry positions or hover above small units, created a need for an accessible, short-range kinetic solution that can be introduced quickly, because it builds on its existing M4, a shotgun already in service with many armed forces and police units.

Benelli explained that combining a 12-gauge shotgun with 4/0 buckshot-type ammunition or specialized tungsten-based loads can generate a dense pellet cloud capable of striking fragile components on FPV drones, which has proven impractical with pistols or assault rifles within 50 meters. This close-range scenario, described as a last-resort layer for saving the operator’s life, is now addressed through the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian, which uses redesigned barrels, extended chokes, and purpose-selected ammunition to maintain consistent patterns and impact power beyond typical shotgun distances. The company underlined that test campaigns, including a two-day evaluation in central Italy, confirmed that drones can be disabled at 30 meters and that the weapon can reach targets at 50 meters or more under favorable conditions.

Already ordered by Japan, the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian, built on the M4 semi-automatic shotgun equipped with the Auto Regulating Gas Operating system, is chambered in 12-gauge with a 3-inch chamber and fed by a tubular magazine holding seven 70 mm shells or six 76 mm shells in addition to one in the chamber when applicable. The weapon is offered with phosphate-treated barrels featuring the Advanced Impact (A.I.) system in both 18.5-inch and 26-inch versions, combined with Cerakote external coating for resistance to corrosion and harsh weather. The shorter barrel targets mobile operators in field conditions, while the longer barrel is intended for static defense of bases, ministries, police stations, airports, malls, and other sensitive facilities where extended reach may be beneficial. Furniture includes a telescopic stock, an aluminum multirail fore-end with M-LOK slots, QD sling points, and a Picatinny rail that supports holographic or red dot optics co-witnessed with ghost ring sights. The overall configuration is designed to maximize tracking ability and field of view when engaging fast, small targets.

The Advanced Impact (A.I.) system, which originates from the civilian hunting market, is central to the performance improvements claimed for this anti-drone shotgun. It relies on a redesigned barrel with a wider internal cone and a longer forcing section that guides the shot column more progressively, reducing pellet deformation and allowing a higher proportion of pellets to maintain velocity and energy. The 100 mm choke is engineered to match the internal barrel geometry, producing a compact pellet swarm with improved pattern density at longer distances compared with traditional shotgun barrels. Company testing indicates that muzzle velocities increase by up to approximately 50 percent relative to standard barrels under specific load conditions, and ballistic gel trials show deeper penetration by pellets fired through the Advanced Impact configuration. During the Italian demonstrations with mini-UAVs and FPV drones, the Advanced Impact system helped maintain consistent pellet distribution, making hits at 50 meters more achievable and occasionally enabling successful strikes beyond this range when environmental factors allowed.

Benelli’s two-day trial in central Italy, conducted with a mini-UAV and FPV drone manufacturer, assessed the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian in detail, with various tungsten-shot cartridges, including loads such as 35 gram 2.7 mm pellets and the AD-LER long-range ammunition with velocities around 405 m per second. Test results highlighted that disabling a drone at 30 meters is sufficient for operator safety and that reliable engagements occurred inside 50 meters, with some strikes recorded at 80 to 100 meters when flight paths were favorable. Ballistic gel examinations showed that pellets fired through the Advanced Impact barrel penetrated deeper than pellets from standard M4 barrels, and steel plate impacts displayed more consistent pellet distribution. The system attracted interest from multiple entities, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and international special operations units, while some companies explored the possibility of integrating several shotguns into remote turrets or using them on large unmanned platforms for close-range drone interception.

The basis of the A.I. Drone Guardian, the Benelli M4 shotgun, was introduced in the late 1990s and is now widely adopted by armed forces, including the U.S. Marine Corps, under the M1014 designation. The Auto Regulating Gas Operating system uses self-cleaning pistons near the chamber to cycle a wide range of ammunition loads without manual adjustment, giving users operational flexibility across different mission types. Over the years, the M4 has been employed for breaching, close-quarters engagements, ship boarding, and support for explosive ordnance disposal teams, and its extended service record provided a foundation for adapting it to counter-UAS needs. The modularity of the M4, including interchangeable barrels, stocks, and handguards, allowed Benelli to incorporate the Advanced Impact design without redesigning the full weapon, which also supports logistics for armed forces and police units already operating M4 shotguns.

The increasing use of shotguns against drones also explains why the M4 A.I. Drone Guardian was created. In Ukraine, both Russian and Ukrainian forces have used shotguns on riverine craft and in frontline positions to counter low-level FPV drones when jammers are unavailable or insufficient, with units training to track and engage small aerial targets similarly to clay shooting. Police forces and security personnel across Europe have also incorporated shotgun drills into short-range counter-drone training around stadiums, critical sites, and public events, using standard 12-gauge weapons while evaluating dedicated systems such as the A.I. Drone Guardian. The rationale for using shotguns includes their accessibility, the probability of hit provided by a pellet swarm, and the need to defeat drones at ranges too short for rifles to be effective, although limitations remain regarding detection timelines, target speed, and operator training.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.