AI Generated Image
Florida start-up building inexpensive 'Guardian' drone interceptors in UAE
The Jerusalem Post • • business
Key Points:
- Powerus, a small start-up in West Palm Beach, Florida, has developed an inexpensive drone interceptor called the "Guardian," priced around $5,000, aimed at countering Iranian drone threats.
- The company produces 3,000 interceptors monthly at a UAE facility, with plans to increase production to 15,000 per month by 2027, leveraging a modular design with 3-D printed components.
- The Guardian interceptor, inspired by Ukrainian designs effective against Russian drones, has a top speed of 340 kph, a 15 km range, and 28 minutes of operational endurance, but cannot counter larger threats like ballistic missiles.
- Powerus recently secured a $22.3 million contract to protect Middle Eastern oil and gas infrastructure, signaling a shift toward integrated, networked counter-drone solutions in the region.
- The UAE is pursuing local production of interceptors to build "sovereign capability," aiming to reduce reliance on imports amid ongoing drone and missile threats from Iran.
