A drone includes a plurality of rotors disposed at and around a base and operable to fly and steer the drone. At least one net launcher is disposed at the base and is operable to launch a net toward a target object. A control is responsive to a signal indicative of a detected target object, and the control, responsive to such a signal, is operable to aim the net launcher toward the target object and to launch the net toward the target object.

Drone having drone-catching feature

The projectile launcher and detector (2) detects a helicopter and sets up a firing trajectory (21) to intercept the target. The projectile is launched towards the target, and the target is detected at the point of intercept. The projectile then enters its deployment phase, releasing a central module. The module consists of a cable connecting the front and rear sections (38,35) with sub-modules (34) deploying a number of radial wires (40). The wires are designed to slice through the helicopter rotor blades. The central cable is kept tensioned by jets on the front and rear projectile section pointing in opposite directions. ADVANTAGE - Type of helicopter does not need to be known for successful engagement to occur.

Anti-air weapon system for helicopter neutralisation - has ground system launching projectile which opens out revealing wires which impale on rotor blades

The present invention relates to a special apparatus by means of which, without using units which fire projectiles, the rotor blades of flying, enemy, military helicopters can be destroyed, and the aircraft caused to crash, in a simple and cost-effective manner. The deliberate destruction of the rotor blades without which flight is not possible at all is carried out via linked arms which are intrinsically stiff, are fastened in an articulated manner, extend a long distance laterally, originate from an annular, solid base holder and are fitted with a number of relatively small but very highly effective explosive bodies. As a result of the articulated connections of the linked arms, which extend in the form of rays, on their base holder, they can be bundled. Once this bundle has been released, they extend under the influence of spring force until they are flat in the horizontal direction and assume a position there analogous to the rotor blades. The apparatuses, which are constructed such that they search for targets, are ejected in bundled fashion from dedicated, overflying aircraft and immediately spread on contact with the blades which rotate with the normal flapping movements. A fuze mechanism which is located between the linked arms triggers them only in their fully extended spread state and leads to the detonation of the explosive bodies and thus to the destruction of the rotor blades.

Special apparatus for deliberately destroying rotor blades of flying, enemy military helicopters

A system for arresting and capturing airborne targets comprising: a projectile comprising an airframe which houses a means for entanglement, a means for propulsion, and a means for producing drag, wherein the means for entanglement is tethered to the airframe, a launcher capable of launching the projectile to within a close distance of an airborne target, wherein as the projectile approaches the airborne target the projectile is first slowed down by the means for producing drag, and second, as the projectile slows down the means for propulsion causes the means for entanglement to be projected towards the airborne target, wherein the means for entanglement arrests and captures the airborne target, thus tethering it to the projectile, and wherein the means for producing drag slows down the speed at which the projectile and tethered airborne target descend to the ground.

Interdiction system and method of operation

A number of sub-assemblies (13) and their lines (14) may be projected into a space to form a curtain before the target. They would use a principal projectile which then positions elementary projectiles mounted in a bundle on a common linkage to space the sub-assemblies in a star formation using a parachute (15) to support each line. A coil of the line is attached to the detonator and the parachute. A valve (16), detachable from the projectile and attached to the parachute, is controlled by a programmable timer (12) to deploy the parachute and attachments. A magnetic detector may be used to set off the mine when it is wound in.

Neutralisation of propellor-driven target by suspended mine

A method and apparatus for destroying helicopters is disclosed and relies on launching cables (7) above a helicopter (1) which cables (7) are tailored to a specific helicopter to maximize the probability of ingestion of the cable into the helicopter rotor system (3, 5) thus providing a low cost, highly efficient helicopter destruction system.

Charles M. Stancil

Papers

Helicopter destruction system employing cables