Development Status and Operation Analysis of Laser Weapon in Anti-Drone Warfare

Drones will be a major factor in future warfare with the advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) and information technology. At the same time, drones also pose a serious threat to traditional air defense systems. Concerning the practical problems faced by anti-drone combat, this essay analyzes the following aspects: 1) the operational requirements of laser weapon because of its advantages in anti-drone combat, 2) the current development of high-energy anti-drone laser weapons, 3) the degree of threat to various subsystems of drones posed by anti-drone laser weapon,4)concepts for laser weapon in combat applications. The results show that as an information weapon, UAVs rely heavily on the photoelectric detection system, and laser weapons can disable or directly destroy the photoelectric equipment of UAVs. Therefore, high-energy laser weapons are effective in counter-UAV operations.