After reviewing warfare tactics during the current Russia-Ukraine war, it is clear that drones have been the defining feature of this new type of warfare. Many exclaim a drone corridor, similar to that of ‘no man’s’ land has developed. This prompts many nations to seek solutions to such an effective strategy. Laser technologies seem to be the future of counter drone technologies. With an almost unlimited power source to be used, this technology could alter the balance of power for future drone warfare initiatives.
Currently, laser technologies are bulky, expensive and energy intensive pieces of equipment. This is where an Israel company by the name of Esh-Tech are looking to find a better solution. DroneLight, a system based on a pulsed-laser which guarantees lower energy consumption, improved performances and reduced acquisition cost. Esh-Tech is an Israeli company founded with the goal of establishing an affordable laser projector to be used against drone swarms. Many traditional lasers guided weaponry use a continuous wave approach (CW) where a laser is focussed continuously on a drone in order to burn through the external layer, causing the drone to fail. However, Esh-Tech’s DroneLight has a different approach, using high-power laser pulses that drill holes into its target destroying the internal material. The pulse lasts only 10 milliseconds, the system emitting at a 5 Hz pulse repetition frequency (PRF).
CEO and Co-Founder Erez Riahi stated “Last year we made several tests… and we saw that to kill a drone we needed to drill between 5 and 10 holes into the target” It is a statistical result, as with those numbers of holes the probability to destroy a vital element of the drone, battery, electronics, camera, is nearly 100%. The results were obtained on over 20 drones and, considering the 5 Hz PRF, the DroneLight needs between one and two seconds to down a UAV. Esh-Tech would like to develop a safety area covering a 1km radius which its current Drone Light technology achieves.
Unlike traditional laser technology that can require up to 20kW of energy for CW laser emitted on a drone, Esh-Tech’s Drone light requires only 4kW due to its innovative pulse laser system. It comes with other benefits including reduced time on target, easier tracking and stabilisation etc. Considering a kill time between 1 and 2 seconds, the DroneLight should be able to down around 30 enemy drones in one-minute, other systems being capable to kill less than 10 according to Esh-Tech. The other good thing is that the small 4 kWh battery currently adopted for the system ensures a one-minute continuous work, however this is either reloaded by the platform power system or linked to the grid in case of use in a static position. Of course, bigger batteries can be installed.
The company is looking not only at the land market but is also actively considering the naval one. Beside performances, affordability is the other key driver, the DroneLight cost being estimated at around 25% that of conventional CW laser effectors.
If you are interested in learning more, please feel free to contact Lachlan Corne
E: Lachlan.Corne@israeltrade.gov.il
Tips to Paolo Valpolini for his article on Esh-Tech via EDR Magazine
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