Vortex Cannon vs Drone

Summary by Krater

Mark Rober explores six methods used by defense systems to take down rogue drones, visits Anduril to see their counter-drone technology, and pits a mega turret against four backyard engineering creations.

From the video

Answers: How do defense systems stop rogue drones, and how do backyard engineers test counter-drone turrets?

• Counter-drone technology
• Anti-drone systems
• Drone jamming
• Drone hacking
• High-powered lasers
• EMP technology
• Drone netting
• Kinetic interception
• Mega turret vs drones
• Engineering education subscription boxes

What it concludes

• Overwhelming a drone with fake radio signals stops it from receiving operator instructions and causes it to lose control.
• Hacking a drone through software and radio signals allows taking control and forcing it to land or crash.
• High-powered lasers heat the drone's outer surface until it catches fire, though reflective metal shields can mitigate this.
• Microwave energy (EMP) can fry a drone's internal electronics, but copper tape protection renders drone-killing microwave beam guns useless.
• Nets fired in the air from other drones capture bad drones for forensic investigation, though carrying drones are slower and less maneuverable.
• Kinetic interception using kinetic energy from a mega turret destroys a dangerous drone into thousands of pieces.