As the technology for unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones, evolves rapidly, U.S. companies remain at the forefront in countering them. In April 2025, DZYNE Technologies of Irvine, California, unveiled its latest counter-UAS system for European allies: the Dronebuster 4-EU.
The Dronebuster is a handheld, nonkinetic electronic device that sends electromagnetic signals to disrupt or disable UAS navigation and control. It also can spoof or simulate GPS signals of various types, potentially ordering the drone to return to its starting point or shift direction.
Weighing 2¼ kilograms, it has an effective range of 1 kilometer. It’s usable on fixed sites or it can be worn on the battlefield. The Dronebuster 4-EU is engineered to operate with European short-range frequency bands and has an optional position, navigation and timing attack mode to disrupt satellite-controlled drones that use the BeiDou, Galileo, GLONASS or GPS navigation systems.
DZYNE’s detect, track, identify, mitigate (DTIM) kit upgrades the Dronebuster unit by adding a wearable detection and identification capability while retaining its lightweight design and portability. The antenna can detect drones from up to 7 kilometers away across a broad spectrum (400 MHz to 6 GHz). The identification system includes a drone library that is updated quarterly.
DZYNE reported in April that more than 2,200 Dronebusters have been sold worldwide, including over 1,000 deployed by the U.S. military. At the same time, it reported a new multimillion-dollar contract for Dronebusters from an undisclosed allied customer.
Some other portable counter-UAS systems, including those that target small unmanned aerial systems (sUAS):
DedroneDefender: Another rifle-shaped c-UAS weapon made by a U.S. company, Dedrone Holdings, which was purchased by Axon in October 2024. The DedroneDefender is billed as a “smart jammer” powered by artificial intelligence. “Integrated with DedroneTracker.AI for seamless drone detection, identification, and mitigation for various types of deployments, including on-the-move.”
FIM-92 Stinger: An infrared homing surface-to-air missile made by U.S. defense contractor Raytheon. The Stinger can be shoulder-fired or mounted and has a range of up to about 4,572 meters. The missile is 1.5 meters long, .07 meters in diameter and weighs 10 kilograms. Its maximum speed is Mach 2.5.
DroneGun: A compact, lightweight and durable gun made by Australian company DroneShield. The DroneGun Mk4 can disrupt control, video and navigation signals across multiple frequency bands. It weighs 3.2 kilograms, and the startup time is less than 3 seconds.
EDM4S SkyWiper: A portable electronic warfare device developed by the Lithuanian company NT Service. It has been used widely by the Ukrainian Armed Forces against Russian drones.
SMASH 2000L: An advanced smart scope made by the Israeli company SmartShooter. The scope is mounted on an M4A1 rifle and can automatically target and disrupt drones. Marine units will start getting the SMASH 2000L next fiscal year, a spokesperson for Combat Development and Integration told Task & Purpose, a website that covers the U.S. military and defense industry.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13, 2025, Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said: “The availability and utility of small drones has grown exponentially over the last decade, and some have repeatedly employed these systems for illicit purposes. While U.S. and coalition forces overseas have faced the threat of weaponized unmanned systems for years, small drones have emerged as a significant risk to infrastructure and safety in the United States in a relatively short period of time. … USNORTHCOM will play a critical role in an enduring whole-of-government effort to protect people, infrastructure, aircraft, and facilities from malign sUAS incursions.”