Today, fire control systems expert SMART-SHOOTER introduced the SMASH Dragon application for armed drones. The new system employs an advanced remotely controlled robotic weapon payload on different drones or unmanned aerial platforms. The system completed live firing tests and is currently under advanced stages of development.

While drones are highly versatile weaponized platforms when deploying precision-guided weapons, mounting direct firing weapons is challenging due to stability issues. So far, using weapon stations designed for ground platforms proved ineffective mainly due to the weight and delayed control loop limiting fire accuracy even at short range.

The remotely operated SMASH Dragon features Smartshooter’s proprietary target acquisition and tracking algorithms that implement computer vision to acquire the operator’s target. Then, the fire control system takes over and releases the shot when the target is in sight, thus ensuring precise hits even in complex situations.

SMASH Dragon comprises a lightweight robotic mount and the weapon-mounted SMASH Dragon sight. Photo: Smart Shooter

The system can mount various assault weapons and sniper rifles, 40mm grenade launchers, and other weapons. Despite the platform’s instability, the robotic system aims and fires the gun with high precision.

Designed as a lightweight mount, SMASH Dragon integrates a unique stabilization concept embedded with the SMASH technology to enable the weapon to release an accurate shot with high hit probability against static and moving targets while flying. The compact, lightweight system allows long mission endurance. SMASH Dragon is the latest spinoff from Smart Shooter’s technology, implemented in unmanned systems. Other applications included using SMASH derivatives in counter-drone (C-UAV) platforms and lightweight remotely operated weapon stations for light combat vehicles, Unmanned Ground Vehicles (UGV), and dismounted uses.

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