Autor fotografie: redakce|Popisek: Hunter drone, Argus Interception
At Eurosatory 2024 in Paris, we were impressed by the stand of the German company Argus Interception, which is developing a hunter drone designed to protect critical infrastructure. It hunts intruders using a net. The company's chief sales manager Sven Steingräber presented the solution to us.
We are at Eurosatory 2024 at the stand of Argus Interception company, together with chief sales manager, Mr. Sven Steingräber, hello sir.
Hello, good morning.
Can you please present your company, here at Eurosatory.
Yes, of course, we are a German company, we were established in 2023. Our company is formed by four former officers, we have a strong background from the military. And we have developed with our partner, the Helmut Schmidt University, university of Armed Forces, this hunter drone. And we would like to settle up a good foundation to prepare critical infrastructure and also policemen and military guys to hunt or to protect from drones. And this is why we have developed our drone.
How does it work actually?
It is a totally autonomous drone, there is also a pilot on the loop. The done does the intercept by itself. We have some sensors on the drone, like radars or optics. It is actually a net hunter drone. We have different modes on the drone. We call it dogfight modus, in which our drone is following behind another drone that we would like to catch, so this is the dogfight modus. Also we are able to catch fixed wings drones which are bigger and have more velocity. In this mode we try to build a net shield in the air. We shoot 50 square meter net into the air, and the hostile drone or the fixed wing drone will fly into the net, and than we will catch it. We are a little bit like Spider Man, you know. We catch the drones in the sky.
What is the advantage of this solution compared to other possible solutions of drone hunting?
Because we are a net hunter drone, we are able to fly quite near to the hostile drone that we would like to intercept. In times like these you can't shoot with a weapon on a drone, it is not possible. So we have a good effector to catch drones like this, to interfere them, and it works very good. At 99 % of all our shoots we will catch the drone. And one big point, which is very positive, is that we catch the drone, and it will not fall down. It is very good for critical infrastructure, like airports, harbors, power plants, and also for barracks or for policemen, especially for counter espionage, it is a very good product and a very good effector for that.
You have identified several opportunities in the Czech Republic also, and I've heard you are preparing your visit to IDET next year in spring?
Yes, we would like to go there. Of course the product is not in the end version. We will develop the product on and on, and we would like to show our development at the IDET in the Czech Republic which is also for us a very important. Especially to protect all the critical infrastructure all over the word, and also in the Czech Republic. We have a strong relationship with the Czech Republic, and would like to go there, and help the Czech Republic to counter drones.
How do you like Eurosatory so far, did it bring many opportunities for your company?
Yes, of course. Eurosatory is for us let's say coming out, it's our first event to show our produc to the press, and yes, it is a very good event for us, we had a lot of good talks here, the weather is now good today, this morning was quite rainy, but all in all the first two days are amazing and we are glad that we are here.
Enjoy the rest of Eurosatory and see you in Brno!
Thank you very much, we are looking forward to it. Thank you.