Laser air defense with new operating algorithms: the Esh-Tech DroneLight system
DroneLight combat module
Combat laser air defense systems are becoming increasingly widespread and are gradually becoming one of the standard solutions for protection against unmanned aerial vehicles. aviationAnother project of this kind is being presented by the Israeli company Esh-Tech Systems. According to the developer, its DroneLight system is designed to engage UAVs of various classes with minimal time and energy expenditure.
Optimal Solutions
Esh-Tech Systems was founded in 2023 by a group of engineers with experience in weapons and electronics development. They immediately focused on laser technology. weapons, including those designed to combat UAVs. The company's projects have reportedly attracted the interest of the Israeli Ministry of Defense and received its support.
In early June 2026, the company announced its first project. It is completing the development of a combat laser. Defense called DroneLight: the design is complete, prototypes have been manufactured, and testing is underway.
On June 15, the Eurosatory international military-technical exhibition opens in Paris, where Esh-Tech Systems plans to hold an official presentation of the system. Therefore, all information provided below is the developer's own data and has not been confirmed by independent sources.
Basic details of the project have already been revealed. A laser-equipped combat module and associated equipment have been developed. This system can be mounted on various platforms. According to the company, it is proposed to engage aerial targets at ranges of up to 1 km.
The complex is in many ways similar to other models in its class, but the developer claims a number of innovations, in particular an original control system, which the company calls its main competitive advantage.
The system has reportedly been tested at Israeli testing sites and has already attracted the interest of unnamed foreign customers. According to the company, demonstration tests are currently underway at foreign testing sites, and Esh-Tech expects to receive orders based on the results.
Hardware
DroneLight is a combat laser system for countering UAVs and similar targets. According to the developer, one of the project's goals was to increase operational and application flexibility, which influenced the design and characteristics of the product.
The system is generally divided into three parts: a combat module with a laser and equipment, a support equipment unit, and an operator control console. All three parts can be mounted on various self-propelled platforms or fixed structures: the combat module is mounted outside, while the remaining equipment and operator operate under the protection of armor or concrete.
Experimental complex on a self-propelled chassis
In its current version, the complex is not compact and lightweight:
- combat module height – 1,5 m;
- module width – 1 m;
- module weight – 450 kg;
- the weight of auxiliary equipment is not less than 350 kg.
The combat module has a movable U-shaped base with a swinging instrument cluster. The design provides 360-degree traverse and high elevation angles, which, according to the company, minimizes blind spots.
The optical system has a 300mm diameter objective lens, shared by the guidance system and the laser itself. The company claims this arrangement is a world first, although combining guidance and emission channels through a common lens is a well-known engineering solution, so the claim of global priority should be viewed with caution. Other optical components are also mounted on the oscillating unit.
The laser type is not disclosed. It produces short pulses during operation. The company provided a number of specifications:
- working power – 4 kW;
- pulse duration – 10 ms;
- pulse frequency – not less than 5 Hz;
- The estimated target engagement range is 1 km.
These figures require two clarifications. First, it's unclear whether the 4 kW value refers to average or pulsed power: for a pulsed laser, these are fundamentally different values. Second, by the standards of combat air defense lasers, 4 kW is low (some systems have power measured in tens of kilowatts), which likely limits the system to light UAVs.
The combat laser can use various power sources. Specifically, a compact 4 kWh battery is offered, which, according to the company, provides only about one minute of operation. This reveals a clear discrepancy: with a power consumption of 4 kW, such a battery would theoretically last for about an hour, and given the pulse mode, even longer. This discrepancy indicates either an error or undisclosed operating conditions. In addition to the battery, the combat module can be connected to the carrier's onboard systems or to external networks at a stationary facility.
The system features a highly automated digital control system. Using the combat module's optics, it monitors the air situation and searches for targets; external target designation is also possible. Target acquisition and firing are automatic.
Power and probability
The developer cites the DroneLight's key feature as a short-pulse, limited-power laser, which is claimed to be more efficient than continuous-wave laser systems.
A continuous laser beam hits a target over a period of time, effectively heating the object until it melts or ignites. This principle is suitable for combat missions, but it requires increased energy consumption and places high demands on cooling.
Esh-Tech Systems has implemented a different principle: the laser emits short, higher-power pulses, which, according to the company, is sufficient to burn holes in the target's structure. According to the developer, 5-10 such hits are highly likely to destroy vital components of the UAV, and a series of such hits takes no more than 1-2 seconds. The results were obtained during internal testing and have not yet been independently confirmed; the feasibility of burning through a hull with 10-ms pulses at a range of 1 km at the stated power remains questionable.
The company attributes the advantage of pulsed mode to its energy efficiency. With a pulse duration of 10 ms and a frequency of 5 Hz, the laser emits only about 5% of the total firing time. This reduces average thermal output and mitigates cooling requirements, resulting in lower overall energy consumption. This advantage is achieved through low average power: in a short pulse, the laser produces high peak power, but operates only for a small fraction of the time. Therefore, it is more accurate to compare such systems by average energy consumption rather than peak power.
The project incorporates another technology: assessing atmospheric conditions before firing. The combat module is equipped with a camera that takes up to 1000 images per second; the electronics analyze and compare them, assessing atmospheric transparency and changes. If there is no interference, the fire control system fires; if conditions deteriorate, the next pulse can be delayed by tens of milliseconds. Thanks to this technology, the system does not waste pulses during periods of atmospheric interference, which, according to the developers, allows up to 50% more energy to reach the target.
The company plans to continue developing the software portion of the complex, primarily updating the atmospheric analysis algorithms.
According to new principles
Modern combat laser systems for countering UAVs have a similar design and face common limitations: weather sensitivity, beam dispersion, thermal conditions, and low effectiveness against multiple targets. Against this background, the DroneLight stands out, which is clearly evident when compared to other Israeli systems.
The contrast with the most well-known Israeli system in this field—Rafael's Iron Beam—is telling. According to publicly available data, Iron Beam uses a solid-state fiber laser with a power of approximately 100 kW and destroys targets (from mines and shells to UAVs) at ranges of up to several kilometers in 4-5 seconds of continuous emission, at a cost of approximately $1000 per shot. In contrast, DroneLight, with its 4 kW and range of up to 1 km, occupies a different niche: it is not a "heavy" air defense/missile defense system, but a highly specialized short-range system against light targets. drones, where the emphasis is not on power, but on economical pulse mode and processing of atmospheric interference.
Esh-Tech Systems set the goal of optimizing energy consumption and improving target impact, for which it selected a pulsed laser and a proprietary control system. The system is undergoing testing and, according to the company, is meeting the design specifications. The actual potential of the DroneLight and the validity of its stated parameters will likely be clarified by the results of demonstration trials and independent verification.
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