The American company Picket Defense Systems has presented a compact defensive turret designed to intercept drones from any direction in a matter of seconds. The system uses a spherical structure with multiple barrels that allows it to instantly confront threats approaching from different angles. According to Defense Blog, Inferno RTC It has been designed for the final seconds before impact, when drones pierce the outer layers of air defense, leaving very little reaction time.
The rotating turret is shaped like a ball and is equipped with dozens of fixed cannons placed at different elevations. Thus, instead of directing a single weapon towards the target, the system automatically selects the best positioned barrel.
According to Picket, this configuration eliminates much of the delay that conventional remote weapons stations have. when performing tracking movements.
The lightest configuration weighs about 20 kilos and has 36 cannons compatible with 5.56 mm ammunition, .410 caliber cartridges and 20 gauge cartridges. Another larger model weighs about 40 kilos and has 54 cannons. That version accepts heavier ammunition, such as 12-gauge cartridges and low-velocity 40mm ammunition.
According to the startup, both systems can detect and attack threats at distances of up to 120 meters and take on several drones at the same time. Engineers have also designed the platform to operate from moving vehicles and forward positions near the front line.
Inferno RTC tracks incoming threats using passive sensors. The system combines a 3D acoustic microphone array with multiple optical cameras to locate and track drones without emitting detectable signals.
Picket claims that integrated artificial intelligence, TinyMLlocally processes the data received by the sensors and decides in real time which threats it should address first. The system can continue to operate without support from external networks or traditional radio frequency-based targeting systems.
The startup maintains that current layered air defense systems still leave Vulnerable gaps at extremely short distances. Drone swarms can take advantage of these gaps by attacking from multiple directions at once, which is what Picket seeks to avoid with Inferno RTC.
The turret supports various payloads beyond standard ammunition. Operators can equip it with nets, smoke screens or laser dazzlersdepending on the needs of the mission. The company says its modular configuration makes the platform suitable for protecting borders, military bases and urban infrastructure where limiting collateral damage is important.
Picket has also placed a lot of emphasis on reduce manufacturing costs. Its engineers have built the main structural components with 3D printed resin instead of resorting to conventional steel construction. According to the company, this lighter material reduces the weight of the system and speeds up production to facilitate rapid deployment.