The Strategic Advantages of Anti-Drone Cartridges for Modern Weapon Systems

The rise of drones—both in military and civilian applications—has introduced a new dimension of aerial threats. Drones can be used for surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering, and even direct attacks. With their small size, agility, and accessibility, they present a significant challenge to traditional defence systems. In response to this evolving threat, a growing need for anti-drone technologies has emerged. Among these innovations are anti-drone cartridges, designed specifically for use with conventional firearms and artillery systems.

Counter-drone cartridges are specialized ammunition engineered to neutralize or destroy drones efficiently and effectively. These cartridges provide a range of advantages, from cost-effectiveness and portability to versatility in tactical settings. In this article, we will explore the advantages of anti-drone cartridges, focusing on their integration into modern weapon systems, ease of deployment, tactical efficiency, and future potential.

To understand the advantages of counter-drone cartridges, it is necessary to recognize the broader context of anti-drone technologies and their evolution. As drones have become smaller, more agile, and more widely available, the need for tailored solutions to counter them has intensified.

Early Anti-Drone Technologies

The first generation of anti-drone systems primarily focused on electronic warfare and physical interception. These included radio frequency (RF) jammers, spoofers, and kinetic interception methods like nets or lasers. While effective in many scenarios, these systems often come with significant drawbacks, such as high costs, technical complexity, and limitations in close-range engagements.

The Need for Anti-Drone Cartridges

Traditional anti-aircraft weaponry and electronic countermeasures are often ill-suited to combating small, nimble drones, particularly in close-range or fast-developing situations. Counter-drone cartridges bridge this gap by offering a solution that can be integrated with existing firearms, shotguns, and other ballistic platforms. This allows soldiers, law enforcement personnel, and security teams to engage drones without the need for specialized or cumbersome equipment.

Counter-drone cartridges represent an evolution in anti-drone measures by leveraging conventional firearms technology, making them more accessible, cost-effective, and suitable for a wide range of operational environments.

One of the key advantages of counter-drone cartridges is their tactical flexibility and adaptability. Unlike fixed or bulky anti-drone systems, these cartridges can be easily deployed in a wide range of scenarios, offering significant advantages on the battlefield or in security situations.

Integration with Conventional Weapons

Counter-drone cartridges can be used with standard infantry weapons, such as shotguns, rifles, and even some artillery systems. This eliminates the need for soldiers or security personnel to carry additional or specialized equipment solely for drone defence. The ability to use anti-drone ammunition in existing firearms not only simplifies logistics but also ensures that personnel are already familiar with the weapon systems being used, reducing the training burden.

For example, anti-drone shotgun shells, which fire a spread of projectiles designed to target small aerial threats, can be quickly loaded into shotguns that are already standard issue for many military and law enforcement units. This level of integration enhances operational efficiency and ensures that personnel can remain combat-ready without switching between weapon systems.

Close-Range Engagements

Counter-drone cartridges are particularly well-suited for close-range engagements. Drones often operate at low altitudes, and in many scenarios, particularly in urban environments or dense terrain, they may come within close proximity to their targets. In such cases, larger anti-drone systems, such as jammers or laser-based solutions, may not be feasible due to safety concerns or limitations in range.

The wide dispersion pattern of counter-drone cartridges, particularly those designed for shotguns, makes them highly effective at close range. This increases the likelihood of hitting a fast-moving or unpredictable drone, which might otherwise evade traditional projectile or missile-based systems.

Versatility in Various Environments

Whether in urban settings, rural landscapes, or even combat zones, counter-drone cartridges offer unparalleled versatility. Traditional anti-drone solutions often require specific environmental conditions—such as line-of-sight, minimal electronic interference, or open spaces—to function optimally. In contrast, counter-drone cartridges can be fired from ground level or elevated positions, through windows, or around obstacles, making them effective in diverse environments.

Additionally, counter-drone cartridges can be used by security forces during high-profile events, public gatherings, or infrastructure protection missions where the risk of drones is high. Their adaptability ensures they can be deployed wherever drone threats emerge, without requiring the same setup and calibration that more complex systems need.

One of the most compelling reasons for adopting counter-drone cartridges is their cost-effectiveness and ease of deployment. While many advanced anti-drone systems—such as lasers, jammers, or missile-based interceptors—are highly effective, they can be prohibitively expensive, both in terms of upfront costs and maintenance.

Lower Costs Compared to Advanced Systems

Counter-drone cartridges are significantly less expensive than high-tech alternatives. Whereas a directed energy weapon or sophisticated jammer might cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit, anti-drone cartridges can be produced for a fraction of that price. This makes them accessible to a wider range of users, including law enforcement agencies, private security firms, and even smaller militaries that may not have the budget for cutting-edge anti-drone systems.

Moreover, counter-drone cartridges do not require expensive infrastructure to support them. Systems like radar-guided anti-drone lasers or missile launchers often need dedicated tracking and targeting systems, adding to their overall cost. In contrast, anti-drone cartridges can be fired using standard issue weapons, with minimal additional investment required.

Reduced Maintenance and Operational Costs

Anti-drone cartridges also offer significant savings in terms of maintenance and operation. High-tech counter-drone solutions often involve complex electronics, power supplies, and targeting systems that require regular upkeep and testing. By contrast, cartridges are low-maintenance, durable, and easy to store. They do not require calibration or testing before each use, and they can be deployed rapidly when needed without technical preparation.

Availability and Mass Production

The production infrastructure for ammunition is well-established, making it easy to scale the manufacture of counter-drone cartridges. In contrast, many advanced anti-drone technologies are still in their developmental stages or rely on specialized components that are difficult to source. This availability ensures that anti-drone cartridges can be produced quickly and distributed widely, which is essential in times of conflict or heightened security concerns.

Simplified Logistics for Military and Security Forces

In a military context, simplifying logistics is always a priority. By integrating counter-drone cartridges into existing ammunition supplies, militaries and security forces can avoid the need for separate supply chains or specialized transport systems for anti-drone systems. This streamlines operations and reduces the overall logistical burden, particularly in remote or high-intensity combat zones where resupply may be difficult.

Counter-drone cartridges are not only practical and cost-effective, but they are also highly effective against a variety of drone threats, ranging from small consumer drones to more sophisticated UAVs used in combat or surveillance.

Defeating Small and Agile Drones

One of the biggest challenges in countering drones is their small size and agility. Drones can manoeuvre rapidly, change direction suddenly, and fly at low altitudes, making them difficult to track and target with traditional weapons systems. Counter-drone cartridges, particularly those designed for shotguns or multi-projectile weapons, offer a wide area of effect, which increases the likelihood of hitting a fast-moving drone.

The spread of the projectiles in counter-drone cartridges compensates for the small size of the target and the unpredictable flight patterns of drones. This makes anti-drone cartridges particularly effective in close quarters or during fast-moving engagements where precision targeting is difficult.

Versatility Against Swarm Attacks

As drone technology advances, one of the emerging threats is drone swarming, where multiple drones operate in coordination to overwhelm defences. This tactic has been tested in military scenarios, and it poses a significant challenge for traditional anti-drone systems that are designed to target one drone at a time.

Counter-drone cartridges are highly effective against swarming tactics. The wide spread of projectiles from a single round can hit multiple drones in close formation, making it easier to defend against swarms without the need for expensive, high-tech systems. In scenarios where a large number of drones are attacking simultaneously, anti-drone cartridges provide a rapid-response option for defending critical infrastructure or personnel.

Disabling or Destroying Larger Drones

While counter-drone cartridges are particularly effective against small, consumer-grade drones, they can also be used to disable or destroy larger UAVs. Many counter-drone cartridges are designed with specialized projectiles that can damage a drone’s propellers, sensors, or structural components, rendering it inoperable. Even if the drone is not completely destroyed, disabling critical components can neutralize the threat and prevent it from completing its mission.

As drone technology continues to evolve, so too will anti-drone solutions. The future of counter-drone cartridges promises even more sophisticated and specialized designs, ensuring that they remain a vital component of counter-drone strategies for years to come.

Smart Ammunition and Guided Cartridges

One of the most exciting future developments in counter-drone cartridges is the concept of smart ammunition. This technology involves projectiles that are capable of altering their trajectory mid-flight or using onboard sensors to hone in on a target. By integrating miniature guidance systems into counter-drone cartridges, future versions could offer even greater accuracy and effectiveness against drones, especially in long-range engagements.

As counter-drone systems struggle to keep pace with advancements in drone attacks, Primetake’s DB5 Counter Drone Cartridges are designed to be deployed on the move without being susceptible to electronic warfare e.g. cyber-attack. Using traditional munitions based projectiles, the DB5 can be fired from a broad range of 12-gauge weapons platforms. The cartridge contains a Kevlar woven web, which, upon deployment, wraps around the motors, whilst the projectile’s overall impaction penetrates the core body of the drone; the cartridges can handle drones of varying sizes. This dual terminal effect quickly brings down the drone, preserving as much of the drone carcass as possible for forensic analysis. Users require just a single DB5 cartridge to counter a drone, with many users opting to integrate DB5 into a weapons platform that can fire several 12-gauge cartridges to quickly counter drone swarms.

See DB5 Anti Drone Projectile in Action: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3PTMQj0y7s