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Drones Carrying This High-Power Microwave Pod Can Fry Other Drones

Defense tech startup Epirus has unveiled the Leonidas Pod, a high-power microwave (HPM) system that can be used on drones to counter other drones.
Illustration of Epirus' Leonidas Pod being carried by drones 6 photos
Photo: Epirus
Leonidas Pod being carried by a droneLeonidas anti-UAV weapon systemLeonidas Pod being carried by dronesLeonidas anti-UAV weapon systemLeonidas anti-UAV weapon system
The company announced the Leonidas anti-drone system – a ground-based version of the pod – back in 2020. The system demonstrated its ability to defeat both rotary and fixed-wing last year. During its most recent test, it successfully disabled an outboard ship motor, demonstrating possible maritime applications.

Now, with the addition of the pod, Epirus has extended its Leonidas family of products. While ground-based systems are capable of instant swarm defeat, offering 360-degree protection from approaching threats, the recently introduced Leonidas Pod provides a new set of mission capabilities.

The Leonidas Pod is small enough to be carried by a drone. This makes it far easier for users to take it to the threat area. When the ground-based system and the drone-mounted pod are deployed together, the devices can work to achieve increased power and range.

Another feature that makes the pod stand out is its ability to rapidly respond to emerging threats. It only takes a few minutes to get it up and running, rather than hours. Furthermore, the system's extended battery life also allows users to take Leonidas Pod directly to the threat location and then return to the base.

When carried by a drone, it can enter standby mode, allowing operators to activate the system only when needed and further extend the battery life.

According to Epirus, its devices provide a significantly more cost-effective method to counter electronic threats when compared to kinetic techniques. Its HPM systems are capable of rapid firing on any target without the need for reloading. Furthermore, they don't emit any dangerous radiation and are precise enough to eliminate any hazards to the operator.

The company's ground-based Leonidas and the Leonidas Pod are designed to be interoperable, and their scalability enables seamless integration with partner systems.
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Editor's note: Gallery includes images of the Leonidas ground-based anti-drone system.

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About the author: Florina Spînu
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Florina taught herself how to drive in a Daewoo Tico (a rebadged Suzuki Alto kei car) but her first "real car" was a VW Golf. When she’s not writing about cars, drones or aircraft, Florina likes to read anything related to space exploration and take pictures in the middle of nature.
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