Velodyne Space announced ground-breaking technology by serial inventor and entrepreneur David Hall to defend against, capture, and neutralize drones. After five years of private research and development, Hall’s new Drone Catching System (DCS) technology effectively combats the increasing threat that drones pose to public safety and in warfare. The release of the technology comes at a pivotal time as federal agencies prioritize advanced drone detection and counter-intelligence technologies.
“I am excited to show the world our new drone catching system that substantially advances our defense capabilities, is scalable and portable, and has been developed with careful consideration for both human health and environmental safety,” said Hall. “This is the future of drone defense technology.”
Hall’s technology responds specifically to the increasing threat posed by single and multiple drone activity. Drones have been seen already crossing over America’s homeland border, threatening airports, stadiums, and government facilities. Current defense systems can neutralize one drone at a time, but cannot counter swarms of incoming drones and often result in dangerous drone debris falling to the ground. Other failed methods including hacking and scrambling air waves pose unacceptable ‘side effect’ impacts such as the potential interruption of adjacent crucial civic technology.
Hall has been developing electric/magnetic launch technology for the past five years as an alternative to gas powered rocket launch systems. Net launching for drone defense can be accomplished immediately as a by-product of the now mature, clean launch technology. Hall’s DCS system can neutralize one or more drones at new, unmatched speed using the proprietary electromagnetic launch system, the first commercial application of high-power coil gun technology with 30+ Megawatts peak power.
Hall’s system is transported in, and functions from an inconspicuously designed launcher, totally enclosed for transport. The tracking system is equipped with AI-powered target identification capability with a range detection ability of over 1,000 feet. Once a high-speed aerial object such as a drone is identified and tracked, Hall’s innovative launch system fires projectiles equipped with nets semi-automatically at 5 nets per second. The nets are each 20′ in diameter to envelop and neutralize a drone. Once captured, a parachute emerges from the net to safely land the netted bundle.
“Public safety is at the forefront of everything we’re building,” said Hall. “The DCS provides a stealth, portable, kinetic, powerful and efficient way to detect, track and neutralize aerial threats without disruption or danger to the surrounding environment and unnecessary human and civic risk. The technology is a leap forward in how we respond to drones.”
Potential security applications include critical infrastructure such as energy facilities, airports, data centers, international borders, correctional facilities, large-scale public and private gatherings, military forward operations and base perimeter, and others.
The new technology is the latest example of Hall’s ongoing interest and dedication to public safety. In 2019 Hall and the president of Velodyne Lidar Inc, Marta Thoma Hall hosted and founded the first World Safety Summit for Autonomous Vehicles. The next summit in 2020 brought 300 government safety experts and autonomous enthusiasts from around the world together inside Santa Clara’s Levi’s Stadium to discuss public safety while deploying autonomous technology, including the dangers of prematurely labeling untested cruising systems as “autonomous.”
Hall is known for inventions that have had major world impact. Hall impacted the audio industry by creating a method of cleaning bass sound for home theaters. In 2014 Hall invented 3D lidar visualization technology for the famous autonomous race, The Darpa Grand Challenge. He sold 3D lidar visualization systems to Apple, Google, Ford Motors, GM, Toyota, Volkswagen, BMW and more. His invention produced an entire, world-wide industry based on robotics and autonomous vehicles which continues today.
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