The British Army is testing new German-made kamikaze drones designed to intercept and destroy hostile unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) before they can target UK troops.
Developed by Alpine Eagle, a defence start-up founded in Germany last year, the Sentinel drone system uses a “mothership” UAV to patrol above friendly units.
When it detects an enemy drone, it can deploy smaller expendable interceptors to crash into and neutralise the threat.
The drone swarm is operated remotely by a single pilot and is part of a new generation of counter-UAV technologies being trialled by Western forces in response to the war in Ukraine, where drones now account for an estimated 70 per cent of all casualties.
Cheap, commercially available quadcopters costing just a few hundred pounds have been widely used by both Ukrainian and Russian forces to drop grenades, monitor troop movements, and harass patrols across the front line.
In response, NATO militaries have ramped up investment in jamming systems, automated gun turrets, and other drone-defence solutions.
In April German firm ARX Robotics announced plans to build a factory in the UK to manufacture drones that can be used for reconnaissance, casualty evacuation and transport.
Ukrainian soldiers have also resorted to cruder methods, including shotguns, to down drones.
Alpine Eagle’s Sentinel system was tested in March under Project Vanaheim, a UK-led series of field trials conducted in partnership with the US Army and Ukrainian forces.
Although headquartered in Germany, Alpine Eagle is also eyeing UK manufacturing as part of its expansion strategy.
Earlier this year it raised more than £9 million from investors including US-based General Catalyst and British venture firm IQ Capital.
The firm has also appointed former Royal Navy engineer Michael Golden to lead its UK operations.
“For us, the UK is both an incredibly important target to develop and demonstrate this technology,” Mr Golden told the Daily Telegraph.
“But also, from an industrial network perspective, we see it as a fantastic place for us to build.”
The Ministry of Defence is currently reviewing Britain’s long-term drone capabilities as part of Labour’s Strategic Defence Review.
In June, Defence Secretary John Healey announced an initial £100 million investment to develop drone swarms that could operate ahead of conventional forces.
The UK military is already rolling out 3,000 strike drones and 1,000 surveillance drones for use by frontline soldiers.