As the number of consumers who purchase drones increases, we are bound to see some drone operators who violate no fly zones whether they do so on purpose or by mistake.  There are certain areas that are restricted, in which drones are not allowed to fly. Such places include airports, stadiums, and government facilities.

But has history has shown us, there is the occasional operator who is so eager to fly their drone, that they do not realize that they are breaking the law. Because of operators like this, a whole new sector has been created to tackle this potential threat. New technologies are being developed that can be used to safely bring down drones that fly into restricted areas.

DroneShields, an Australian tech firm was applauded in 2016 for releasing the formidable looking “weapon” called the DroneGun.  The DroneGun was a shoulder-mounted machine that was uses electronic signals to jam a drone’s GPS unit. It is used to sever the connection between a drone and its operator so that the authorities can bring the drone down safely.

Earlier this week, the team at DroneShield released a smaller version of the DroneGun called the Tactical. The new version is more compact and measures about 56 inches long. It is supposed to be a smaller version of the 2016 design, but it packs a heavier punch. The Tactical is a handy tool and can block signals with the same effectiveness forcing a drone to land.

All you need to do is point the “gun” at a drone and pull the trigger. It uses radio signals to create a blocked signal between the drone and operator, automatically disabling the connection. The good thing about both versions is that they can both be deployed quickly and with fast results. Once the signal is blocked, the drone can no longer operate.

CEO of DroneShield, Oleg Vornik stated that the Tactical was created from feedback received from NATO military personnel. He also stated that this newer version is stronger with a top-of-the-line economic design.  The only compromise with the portable size, is that the range is shorter. The range of the Tactical is one kilometer, which is half the range of the DroneGun. Although it weighs slightly more than its counterpart, the Tactical does not have a steep learning curve and can also be used to disrupt more frequencies than the DroneGun.

Right now, the Tactical is available at about $10,000 per unit and can only be bought by companies that have been cleared by the government. We can expect the DroneGun to start making appearances throughout the world at locations where lots of people and crowds form such as sporting events, concerts as well as at political events to protect crowds from rogue drones.