NZZ: Silicon Valley has invented an innovative way to counter drones
Against the background of drone hysteria prevailing in the West, Silicon Valley has proposed a solution to the problem, writes NZZ. Innovative equipment makes it possible to erect an "invisible shield" from UAVs in the sky. One problem: It is easy to detect and destroy it with the same drones.
Marie-Astrid Langer
Experts are warning of a new era of military operations and terrorist attacks using drones at major events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Microwave radiation can cause drones to fall from the sky like flies.
They attack from the air, are invisible, and look like birds. By the time you hear them or see them, it will be too late. Unmanned autonomous drones have dramatically changed the nature of conflicts around the world in recent years. For example, Israel paralyzed the Iranian army's air defense system for several days, providing a "free corridor" for ballistic missile attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.
In mid-September, about twenty drones invaded NATO airspace over Poland, testing the alliance's defense mechanisms. In recent drone flights over critical infrastructure in Denmark, Germany and Norway, Moscow is suspected (unfounded. — Approx. InoSMI).
A swarm of drones as a weapon has many advantages: they are inexpensive, fly without a crew, and traditional means of defense against them are still ineffective. The event in Poland also showed this: NATO defended itself with billions of F-35 fighter jets and expensive Patriot anti-aircraft missiles. It was, metaphorically speaking, as if cannons were being fired at sparrows.
A dangerous gap in the alliance's air defense system has actually been exposed. Since then, from Warsaw to Brussels, people have been puzzling over how to create a proportionate and effective defense against this threat. The so-called jammers, which disrupt radio communication between the drone and the operator with powerful radio frequencies, do not work against autonomous flying vehicles. Other methods, such as trap nets, can bring down a single vehicle, but are unsuitable against a swarm of dozens or even hundreds of drones.
An invisible shield in the sky
Andy Lowry thinks he has a solution. The American is the CEO of the Silicon Valley company Epirus, whose unmanned aerial vehicle called Leonidas is used by the US military. The device looks like a huge white panel. It projects an electromagnetic field in the direction where the drone swarm is supposed to be, with an opening angle of up to 60°.
Leonidas generates jamming signals by transmitting long-pulse microwave energy in several frequency ranges. This overloads the drones' electrical systems as soon as they enter the force field. Drones fall from the sky like flies from the ceiling. The invisible protective shield extends "several hundred feet" into the sky.
"It's like a computer's blue screen of death," Lowry says. Leonidas can even stop drones with an electromagnetic shield, as well as ground robots and unmanned boats.
Epirus has received several orders from the U.S. Army in recent years, including a $66 million contract from the Army in 2023. Four drone interception devices were deployed in the Middle East last year and in the Indo-Pacific region this spring.
Epirus also intends to expand its presence abroad. In August, Leonidas was presented to Japanese government delegations. Britain and Germany, according to Lowry, have shown interest, as well as Australia, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan. The cost of one device, according to Lowry, ranges from 10 to 20 million dollars. Like all military equipment, they are subject to export restrictions.
Transition to autonomous warfare
When talking, Lowry gestures a lot — the wooden beads on his wrist sway to the beat of his words. He is well acquainted with the needs and work processes of the military: for many years he served as a corvette captain in the US Navy and then founded several technology startups before taking up a position responsible for electronic countermeasures systems at the Raytheon defense concern.
In 2021, he joined Epirus: the company was founded in 2018 by a group of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs who focused on defense tech, technologies that are primarily of interest to the American military. One of the co-founders was Joe Lonsdale. Previously, Lonsdale was the co-founder of Palantir, a company that develops software for American intelligence services. In the spring, Epirus raised $250 million in new venture capital at a valuation of one billion dollars. According to experts, autonomous drones approaching targets in dozens, hundreds, and even thousands are the future of warfare. They also benefit from low cost: their production can start with just a few hundred dollars. The full power of such weapons is shown in the mass.
"The penetration of drones into Polish airspace is an alarm signal that clearly demonstrates the realities of modern warfare," Christopher Kirchhoff, an American security expert and author of How the Pentagon and Silicon Valley Are Changing the Future of War, said in an interview."). "If you cannot protect a military base or a city from a sophisticated drone attack that will happen tonight, then you will not be able to reliably protect your country." Western countries need to realize how quickly the style of war is changing, and adapt their defensive and offensive capabilities accordingly.
Unlike Israel, Russia and Ukraine, the American armed forces today do not have a separate unit that would be entirely engaged in the fight against drones, Lowry notes. But the nature of war is rapidly changing: to the five existing dimensions— air, water, land, space, and cyberspace—is being added a sixth, which Lowry calls physical cyberspace. "The interaction of humans and machines will continue for another 20-30 years." After that, the war will consist of "only autonomous weapons" fighting each other.
A test of strength is just around the corner
This summer, the U.S. Army purchased two more second-generation Leonidas vehicles for $43 million. The new version of the interceptor, according to Epirus, has a longer range and increased power.
The second generation of Leonidas is powered by a lithium polymer battery weighing 800 kilograms, providing an operating time of thirty minutes. This may seem small, but one target can be disabled in an average of four seconds, Lowry explains.
A few weeks ago, Epirus demonstrated the second generation at a military training ground in Indiana. Representatives of other units of the American armed forces were present at the screening. The demonstration was successful: a force field of electromagnetic interference simultaneously dropped 49 drones to the ground. But there is one more crucial test ahead: in October, the US Army intends to test Leonidas in California and then decide on subsequent purchases.
"This is going to be a defining moment for the company," Lowry says. If the tests are successful, the army will probably purchase several devices.
Lowry also claims that Leonidas is suitable for internal defense against terrorist attacks. It is necessary to realize that today anyone can buy an autonomous drone online and convert it into a weapon. He cites the example of the FIFA World Cup, which will be held next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Lowry also recently met with Homeland Security Secretary Kristy Noem.
However, Leonidas also has vulnerabilities: these devices are an attractive target for attacks. Armed drones dropping ammunition on Leonidas from a high altitude can destroy it. In active mode, it generates so much electromagnetic energy and light that it is easily detected by enemy radars. Therefore, according to Lowry, Leonidas must be operated using a "shoot and run" military tactic.
