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Using Mortars to Defeat Drones
Abstract
The 81mm mortar fires a projectile that can reach Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs also known as drones) and can thus provide a method for shooting them down. The suggestion is that the projectile can be launched on a ballistic trajectory until it reaches its highest point and can then engage a guidance system to steer itself onto the UAV. It is found that for the difficult case of fast UAVs flying at 100m/s the mortar is in range for over 100s. If the UAV is identified ahead of this contact then there is time to set up and lay the mortar prior to firing. The UAV can be attacked with fragments at distances of about 3 to 8m. This distance allows the specification for a guidance system. Optimization of fragments could reduce the burden on the guidance system.