Esh-Tech has announced DroneLight, a pulsed-laser “hard-kill” counter-drone system it says is designed to provide mobile protection for ground forces against small aerial threats, including drones carrying explosives. The company said the system is undergoing customer evaluations in multiple markets.
According to Esh-Tech, DroneLight uses short, high-intensity laser pulses intended to physically remove material from a target through what it describes as a drilling effect. The company claims this approach can neutralise drones in 1–2 seconds, compared with more than 15 seconds for legacy continuous-wave laser systems.
Esh-Tech said the system draws about 4 kW of power, which it positions as lower than the 20 kW or more it says is required by other systems, and is intended to operate from vehicle power sources. The company said DroneLight can support engagement rates of up to 5Hz, which it equates to about 30 neutralisations per minute, and is aimed at scenarios including drone swarms.
The company said the system’s narrow field of view, lack of side lobes and short dwell time are intended to reduce collateral risk, including in urban environments. Esh-Tech described DroneLight as designed for a 1-km defensive layer with 360-degree coverage and operation by a single operator, incorporating automatic tracking and synchronised pulsed modules.
“DroneLight was developed to enhance operational effectiveness and mission readiness in counter-drone defense,” said Erez Riahi, CEO of Esh-Tech. He said the company’s goal is to enable wider deployment of hard-kill protection beyond select strategic sites.
Esh-Tech also claimed DroneLight is priced at about 25% of the cost of legacy continuous-wave laser systems, positioning the system as an option for equipping a larger number of units.
