Development of a counter-UAV system

Abstract

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are an increasing danger to both commercial aviation and homeland security in Singapore’s highly urbanised environment. Their accessibility, affordability, and relative ease of use leave them prone to weaponisation and thus pose a unique threat that must be countered. Existing countermeasures such as electronic jamming and kinetic weapons have limited effectiveness in dealing with UAVs with autonomous capability or when the risk of collateral damage is high, particularly in urban environments.

To address these limitations, this project aimed to develop a projectile-based Counter-UAV (C-UAV) system that incorporates a capture net and a parachute. This design allows both the C-UAV projectile and UAV target to be safely recovered for forensic investigation. The conceptual design of the projectile comprises the parachute deployment system, net deployment system, and electronics system. For each system, the design objective, constraints, as well as multiple design iterations are explored and evaluated. Prototypes were also 3D-printed for component testing. The parachute deployment system consists of a rotating ring that locks four petals in place. When deployed, the petals are forced outwards, releasing the parachute. The net deployment system comprises a modified cast that is unfurled by eight net weights launched by pressurised gas from a CO2 canister. The electronics system includes RCWL-0516 proximity sensors and an Arduino Pro Mini to trigger the deployment sequence.

Due to time and venue constraints, only the component field test for the net deployment system could be carried out. Upon testing, the firing pin mechanism was found to be unable to reliably puncture the CO2 canister, even after improvements. Several finite element analysis (FEA) studies were also conducted to identify structural weak points in the components.

The report closes by suggesting improvements based on these studies, including a redesign of the firing pin mechanism and material changes in structural weak points. Future additions such as a tethered parafoil or GPS-guided steering mechanism to enhance the strengths of this C-UAV system were also proposed. The findings of this project laid the groundwork for a C-UAV system that is tailored to Singapore’s urban operational environment.