Germany builds interceptor robot that net-traps rogue drones mid-air

German researchers at Julius Maximilian University of Würzburg have developed an autonomous interceptor drone designed to detect, track, and capture unauthorized drones entering restricted airspace, enhancing civil security at sensitive locations such as airports, stadiums, and prisons. Supported by Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research, the system uses an extendable net to safely trap rogue drones mid-air without causing debris or collateral damage, preserving the captured drone for forensic analysis. The project began in 2017 under MIDRAS and evolved into the IDAS (Innovative Drone Defence System) project, culminating in a fully functional interceptor drone demonstrated to security authorities. A key innovation of the IDAS system is its autonomous target acquisition, employing LiDAR sensors and AI-based camera recognition to distinguish drones from harmless objects like birds. Unlike earlier concepts involving multiple coordinated drones, the system relies on a single larger interceptor drone, simplifying deployment and improving reliability. Once activated by security personnel, the interceptor autonomously navigates, pursues, and captures the target