AI-powered drones to guard Irish skies during Ireland’s EU presidency
The Irish Defence Forces are deploying AI-powered DroneHunter systems to protect EU summit attendees at Casement Aerodrome. The technology uses autonomous quadcopters to capture rogue drones with nets, providing a non-lethal alternative to traditional missile defense.
Why it matters
This represents a significant shift in national security, highlighting the integration of autonomous AI systems into state defense infrastructure for high-profile diplomatic events.
Drones operated by artificial intelligence (AI) and equipped with nets will be deployed in response to airborne threats during the EU presidency.
These counter-unmanned aerial systems weapons will be deployed at Casement Aerodrome, west Dublin , during the arrival of high-level dignitaries for EU summits, The Irish Times has established.
The DroneHunter technology is manufactured by Fortem Technologies, a US company owned by a consortium including the arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin .
If an unidentified drone is detected in the vicinity of Casement, soldiers will attempt to block its signal using jamming devices, forcing the drone to the land. If that fails, a Drone Hunter will be deployed to track the threat.
These are quadcopter drones that can launch in seconds. They track rogue drones before firing a net at them. The captured drone then floats to the ground by parachute before being recovered for evidence.
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