China at the 9th World Radar Expo presented its newest YLC-48 portable multipurpose reconnaissance radar, said to be able to detect low-altitude, small and slower unmanned aerial vehicles, even in conditions of high noise impact close to the ground, the Global Times reported on Friday.
According to the No.14 Research Institute, part of state-owned China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), the device, dubbed "terminator of drones," is capable of locating and tracking a target “from any angle” and in all weather conditions.
Another innovative feature is its small size, allowing the YLC-48 to be carried by one soldier – something that significantly distinguishes it from other devices of its kind.
The defense system is equipped with a large number of digital integrated circuits, enabling the YLC-48 to be rapidly installed on all kinds of lightweight weapons platforms and easily dismantled.
The demand for countermeasures against civilian drones has reached a new level, as these devices are often used by terrorist groups and other offenders because of their mobility, increased availability and low cost. Consumer level or home built unmanned aerial vehicles are difficult to detect or intercept, even by high-tech short-range air defense missile systems due to background noise and their small size.
China and other countries, including Russia, the US, the UK, Italy and Japan, are known as leading developers of drone and anti-drone technologies. In the US alone, there are several programs related to this field, including the Gremlin project and studies on computer-brain interface implementation.