The newly established German company Skylance has successfully completed the first test launch of its DroneHammer anti-drone missile. DroneHammer is a laser-guided missile designed to economically and efficiently engage Class 1 drones (weighing less than 25 kg) at close range. The missile has undergone further improvements over the past few months. Weighing approximately 700 grams and measuring 70 cm in length, the company aims to reduce its size to 60 cm with a smaller diameter. Single component testing is currently underway to evaluate the launcher, optical system, and warhead functionality.
The complete system is planned to undergo testing later this year at the Defense Technology Center in Mannheim, with development expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026.
The DroneHammer concept was originally developed by two German companies, e-Wolf and WARGdrones, and was first publicly displayed at the AFCEA exhibition in Bonn in late May 2025. The newly established Skylance company will handle the missile’s development. Mass production of a single DroneHammer missile is expected to cost several thousand euros.
(First test launch of the anti-drone missile)
The missile is guided by a simple optical sensor located at its front, requiring active laser illumination of the target. Its notable feature is an aerodynamic warhead. It does not use explosives but disperses fragments using a compressed CO2 cylinder, producing an effect comparable to a shotgun blast. Static tests have confirmed its effectiveness against Class 1 drones. The solid-fuel rocket engine achieves interception speeds exceeding 500 km/h, a range over 600 meters, and an interception time of 3 seconds. DroneHammer can be shoulder-fired or launched from ground robotic platforms and combat UAVs.
