Israel’s Esh-Tech today announced the launch of DroneLight, a pulsed-laser hard-kill system that provides ground forces with rapid, affordable, and mobile counter-drone protection.
“DroneLight is designed to address a wide range of aerial threats, including explosive-laden drones, which have become one of the most urgent and widely encountered challenges in current operational environments,” said the company in a press release. “The system is undergoing customer evaluations in multiple markets worldwide.
Developed specifically for maneuvering and stationary land units operating in complex and high-threat environments, DroneLight features a pulsed laser architecture that uses short, high-intensity pulses to physically remove material from the target through a drilling effect, enabling neutralization within 1-2 seconds – compared to more than 15 seconds in legacy continuous-wave laser systems, according to the company.
“With energy consumption of approximately 4 kW, significantly lower than the 20 kW or more required by other systems, DroneLight operates efficiently from vehicle power sources, making it fully mobile and suitable for installation on military vehicles without the need for heavy dedicated power infrastructure. The system supports engagement rates of up to 5Hz, translating into approximately 30 neutralizations per minute, making it highly effective against drone swarm scenarios. Its narrow field of view, absence of side lobes (energy scattering in other directions) and extremely short dwell time make it particularly suitable for urban environments where precision and reduced collateral risk are critical. Designed for the 1-km defensive layer with 360° coverage and single-operator functionality, DroneLight incorporates an automatic tracking system and synchronized pulsed modules to ensure consistent performance under real operational conditions.”
“DroneLight was developed to to enhance operational effectiveness and mission readiness in counter-drone defense,” said Erez Riahi, CEO of Esh-Tech. “By combining high effectivity with very low energy consumption and a cost structure that is dramatically lower than traditional laser systems, we enable armed forces to deploy effective hard-kill protection at scale, not just at select strategic sites. Our pulsed-laser architecture delivers interception within seconds, giving maneuvering forces the speed and operational flexibility they require on today’s battlefield.”
For more information
https://www.esh-tech.com/
The 2026 Unmanned Airspace Global Counter-UAS Systems Directory is now available. The Guide is the world’s only comprehensive, continually updated directory of global C-UAS companies and systems. It itemises over 1,000 C-UAS products and services with performance details, company sales and partnerships arrangements. It is updated every month and broken down into niche sub-sectors (net-capture, missiles, intercept drones, detectors etc) to give C-UAS procurement and industry personnel a unique perspective of global C-UAS technical capabilities and market positions. It is available in word, PDF and excel formats and Unmanned Airspace readers are eligible for a range of discounts. For more information about the Directory please contact the editor Philip Butterworth-Hayes at philip@unmannedairspace.info.