Main image: The drone wall is intended to be staggered and layered. Courtesy of Atreyd
A French startup will deploy a “drone wall” in Ukraine to protect against Shahed drones and guided aerial bombs.
The “wall” consists of dozens of small UAVs designed to intercept the most threatening Russian weapons—particularly kamikaze drones and guided aerial bombs—before they reach their targets. The system is expected to become operational within a few weeks. Business Insider reports that the “drone wall” was developed by the French company Atreyd, which has already sent the innovative air-defense system to Ukraine.
According to Atreyd’s founder (who wished to remain anonymous), the system is “a flying minefield of drones” and is intended to serve as a last line of defense. Initially it will be used to protect cities and critical infrastructure from Russian strike drones like the Shahed. In the future it may be deployed closer to the front to counter guided aerial bombs, which are extremely difficult to intercept.
The “drone wall” is made up of a set of FPV drones that launch from ground-based platforms after a threat is detected by radars. These drones, each carrying a small explosive charge, form a “curtain” in the sky. The system’s task is to detonate its components near the incoming munition to neutralize the threat.
Key features of the “drone wall”:
- AI: Artificial intelligence reshapes the “wall” for optimal response to the detected trajectory of an enemy munition.
- Low cost: The cost of a single interception is only a few thousand dollars. Drones that do not detonate can return to their platforms for reuse.
- Resistance to EW: The system can operate under electronic-warfare/GPS-jamming conditions because it is equipped with a preloaded 3D map of its area of responsibility.
- Ease of use: One operator can control 100 drones without specialized qualifications or FPV piloting experience.
- Safety: Drones are fitted with identification technology to prevent friendly‑fire incidents.
The Atreyd founder is confident in the system’s effectiveness, despite Russia beginning to modify its drones and guided aerial bombs with jet engines to increase speed. In testing, the “drone wall” demonstrated 100% success.
