Counter-UAV Technologies Explained: High-Power Microwave, Laser Weapons, and Advanced Drone Defense Systems

2.2.3 High-Power Microwave Weapons

High-power microwave (HPM) weapons refer to systems that use high-power radio waves to destroy or disable the electronic equipment of a target, thereby depriving it of combat capability. At present, a wide variety of microelectronic components are extensively used in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), making these electronic systems critical vulnerabilities. As a result, damaging or destroying such components poses a lethal threat to UAVs.

In real combat scenarios, high-power microwave weapons typically concentrate electromagnetic pulse energy within a narrow frequency band and deliver it directly into the onboard electronic systems of UAVs through antennas, causing physical damage to internal electronic components. Compared with traditional electronic jamming technologies, HPM weapons can permanently and irreversibly destroy electronic components, resulting in far more decisive effects.

In addition, due to their narrow beamwidth and extremely short transmission duration, high-power microwave weapons are less likely to expose the emitter’s position through electromagnetic radiation. Prior to 2015, the U.S. government regarded HPM technology primarily as a potential future capability and did not provide substantial attention or funding. This situation changed after 2015, as the United States began aggressively promoting the development of directed energy technologies. Research funding related to HPM technology increased significantly year by year, and the U.S. Department of Defense began pushing its development in a top-down manner, accelerating the transition of HPM technology from laboratory research to battlefield deployment.

Currently, the U.S. military has conducted extensive research on the application of high-power microwave weapons in counter-UAV operations. Two representative HPM counter-drone weapon systems have emerged. The first is the Phaser high-power microwave system developed by Raytheon for the U.S. Army. As early as 2013, Raytheon demonstrated the ability of an HPM prototype to disable small UAVs at Fort Hill. In April 2018, during the “Maneuver Fires Integrated Experiment” (MFIX) held at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Raytheon used its advanced HPM and high-energy laser weapons to neutralize 45 UAVs. During the exercise, the HPM system alone engaged multiple UAV swarms and destroyed 33 drones.

Raytheon’s research in HPM weapons also attracted the attention of other U.S. military branches. In May 2019, Raytheon demonstrated its advanced HPM weapon’s counter-UAV capabilities to the U.S. Air Force. The company stated that these technologies could provide the Air Force with a low-cost and highly effective counter-drone solution to address the growing UAV threat. Notably, Raytheon’s HPM weapon systems can be integrated with its multispectral targeting systems and mounted on Polaris all-terrain vehicles, enabling detection, identification, tracking, and destruction of UAVs with a high level of engineering maturity.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Navy reportedly used a similar directed-energy weapon in the Strait of Hormuz to destroy an Iranian drone, further demonstrating the operational feasibility of such systems. Meanwhile, the U.S. Air Force and other military branches are developing additional types of HPM weapons. One of the primary ongoing projects is the Tactical High Power Operational Responder (THOR) system. Developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), THOR uses high-energy microwave pulses to disable drones and drone swarms, protecting air bases from aerial threats.

The THOR system is powered by a ground-based energy source and emits short microwave pulses to disrupt onboard electronics. The entire system can be packed into a standard shipping container, transported to any location, and deployed within two to three hours. The project was launched in July 2018 with a budget of approximately USD 15 million and completed within 18 months. Organizations involved in its development include AFRL, BAE Systems, Leidos, and the Verus Research Institute in New Mexico.

“THOR will fundamentally change the landscape of directed-energy weapons,” said Kelly Hammett, Director of Directed Energy Programs at AFRL. “As drones become increasingly common and are used as weapons to attack military bases from a distance, THOR’s ability to neutralize drones provides a significant advantage for our warfighters and national defense.”
It is worth noting that due to their wide-area coverage and distributed kill capability, high-power microwave weapons are particularly effective against swarm drone attacks.

---

2.2.4 High-Energy Laser Weapons

High-energy laser weapons neutralize UAV targets by continuously illuminating and heating them with high-power laser beams, thereby burning critical structural components and forcing the drone to crash or make an emergency landing. Compared with conventional kinetic weapons, laser weapons offer several significant advantages:

1. Extremely fast engagement speed, as laser beams travel at the speed of light;

2. High lethality with relatively low energy consumption, capable of inflicting surface damage efficiently;

3. Strong anti-interference capability and high stealth, as laser beams are highly directional, spectrally pure, and difficult to detect or jam.

Laser engagements typically produce no explosions or flashes, require minimal launch space, and are therefore difficult to detect in advance. In September 2017, during a test at the White Sands Missile Range, the ATHENA laser weapon system shot down five UAVs. Lockheed Martin’s Chief Technology Officer stated that the tests validated the weapon’s lethality and simulated attacks on static targets within operational environments.

As laser weapon technology continues to mature, overall system performance is expected to improve further. In 2019, Lockheed Martin demonstrated its laser weapon system for the U.S. Air Force at a government test range in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, successfully intercepting a group of fixed-wing and rotary-wing UAVs. In March of the same year, a prototype of the ATHENA system conducted a 30-kilowatt power test, during which the laser beam destroyed a small pickup truck.

---

2.2.5 Net Capture Systems

For low-speed, small UAVs, another low-cost countermeasure involves capturing drones using larger UAVs equipped with net-launching devices. These systems deploy nets to entangle and capture targets. However, current technology limits this method primarily to micro multirotor drones. Fixed-wing UAVs, which typically fly at higher speeds, are difficult to capture using nets.

---

2.2.6 Physical Attacks

In public security applications, a common physical countermeasure involves using one drone to collide with another, causing the unauthorized UAV to lose balance and crash. This approach places high demands on the operator’s skill and carries a significant risk of failure. In densely populated areas, falling drones also pose a serious risk to civilians.

In military contexts, aside from high-power microwave and high-energy laser weapons, high-density ground-based or airborne firepower may also be employed. Although this approach is relatively traditional and costly, it offers high technical maturity and reliable effectiveness.

---

03 UAV Control in Complex Environments

3.1 UAV Tracking

Current UAV tracking methods include radar, electro-optical systems, spectrum detection, time difference of arrival (TDOA) positioning, protocol decoding, and DJI Cloud Sentry systems. Given the diversity in UAV size, configuration, and functionality, no single method is sufficient. Instead, a multi-layered and integrated counter-UAV defense system is required.

In recent years, TDOA-based UAV detection technology has demonstrated strong performance in complex urban electromagnetic environments. By deploying four or more stations, UAVs and their operators can be detected, identified, and located within a radius of 3–5 kilometers around a protected area, around the clock. Protocol decoding enables extraction of UAV model, frequency, distance, and operator location information. When combined with radar systems, UAVs without active remote-control links can also be detected, while radar-guided electro-optical systems provide visual identification and evidence collection.

---

3.2 Locating Illegal Drone Operators

Locating UAV pilots is challenging due to the low transmission power of controllers and the complex urban electromagnetic environment. Obstacles such as buildings, vehicles, and vegetation further complicate detection. Currently, the most widely used solution is DJI Cloud Sentry, which can detect drones and locate their operators.

However, recent protocol cracking by overseas enthusiasts has enabled partial pilot location for certain DJI models using radio detection equipment. This method remains limited, as it only applies to DJI drones and may fail if communication protocols are updated. Another approach involves forcing drones to return to their takeoff points after losing control, enabling the capture of illegal operators.

---

3.3 UAV Identification Technologies

UAV identification has evolved from simple spectrum monitoring to comprehensive detection of image transmission frequencies, control links, brand, model, position, distance, and flight trajectory. Radar, electro-optical, spectrum analysis, TDOA, protocol decoding, and DJI Cloud Sentry systems complement one another to enable full-spectrum UAV detection, identification, positioning, and tracking.

---

3.4 Countermeasures Against Non-Standard UAVs

Due to the widespread use of DJI drones, public safety risks caused by improper operation have increased, driving growing demand for counter-UAV systems among law enforcement, military, and government agencies. As a result, non-standard and modified UAVs that avoid common 2.4GHz and 5.8GHz frequencies have emerged, using bands such as 433MHz, 840MHz, 915MHz, 5.2GHz, and 5.6GHz.

These non-standard UAVs are more flexible, stealthy, smaller, and potentially more dangerous, making detection and countermeasures more difficult. To address this, modern systems integrate wideband detection and countermeasures from 300MHz to 6GHz, significantly increasing detection coverage. Advances in radar algorithms, electro-optical automation, full-band jamming, and navigation spoofing have further enhanced the ability to counter both standard and non-standard UAVs. These integrated solutions are now widely deployed in critical facilities such as nuclear power plants, military bases, and major public events in China.

---

05 Conclusion

With the rapid development of the UAV industry, drone-related security threats have become a serious concern in modern society. A wide range of counter-UAV technologies has emerged, providing new tools for drone defense. Current trends in counter-UAV operations include:

1. Transition from conceptual research to operational deployment with extensive real-world experience;

2. Increased emphasis on precision engagement, particularly with laser weapons;

3. Enhanced capability to counter drone swarms through wide-area and flexible systems;

4. A clear trend toward intelligent and information-integrated counter-UAV solutions.

However, due to the diversity of UAV types and complex operational environments, no single technology can comprehensively counter all drone threats, especially in densely populated urban areas. Effective counter-UAV defense requires a comprehensive, multi-layered approach that integrates various technologies based on UAV behavior and environmental characteristics.