Dronebusters: Drone Gun Can Take Down Drones with Radio Waves

With drones becoming increasingly popular in recent years, more individuals are concerned about their privacy being invaded. Anti-drone technology has been on the rise, and along with it a brand new item that can ground unmanned aircraft. The Dronegun is a drone-jamming system that blasts radio waves into the distance to disorient the aircraft's control channels.

Virginia-based Droneshield is the one behind the production of the Dronegun, providing a more portable option that could be used right away at the first sight of threatening drones. Droneshield has promoted the Dronegun's coverage with a range of over a mile and the promise of instantly cutting off video transmission to the operator of the spying drone. Shaped like a firearm with an antenna attached to a computer, the Dronegun promises one of the largest drone-free radii in the market.

Attached to a backpack for convenience, the Dronegun fires electromagnetic noise at the same frequencies it uses for video transmission and control communications at the target drone. Typical target responses would be to fly back to its take-off point or land on the spot.

Despite an almost assured market demand, the DroneShield's Dronegun page has a large and explicit disclaimer that "this device is not, and may not be, offered for sale or lease, or sold or leased, in the United States, other than to the United States government and its agencies" until it's authorized by the Federal Communications Commission since jamming devices are prohibited within the United States and anti-drone technology could transmit radio signals that interfere with and overpower the commands given by the drone's pilot, regardless of which agencies or individuals could be flying the drone.