In the aftermath of the chaotic shutdown of London’s Gatwick airport days before Christmas, questions are legitimately being asked about how airports, and other security-sensitive venues, can be protected against similar incidents. Vancouver’s Indrocorp may have a solution.

Indrocorp has developed a handheld radio frequency ‘pulse rifle’ that is designed to immobilize drones. In an interview with Postmedia News, Indrocorp’s chief technology officer Philip Reece, said, “The main blocker for why these haven’t been installed in airports at the moment is regulations. It’s industry standards – it’s all about who’s allowed to use radio jamming.”

Currently, only the RCMP is authorized to use radio-frequency jamming to disable drones in Canada, and only then during operations that provide close protection to VIPs. Reece stated that the military has been using drone-disrupting technology for years, before the development of the $70,000 immobilizer. He also said that prisons in the U.K. are also interested in the technology as a means of preventing the transportation of contraband to prisoners.

Indrocorp currently provides equipment to airports that alert authorities when a drone is in close proximity, but takes no further action due to current regulations.

The company is also a commercial operator of drones, providing advanced, state-of-the-art drone technology to governments, utility companies, the agriculture and energy industries, and to first responders and SAR operations.

Photo above: Drone detection equipment on a rooftop at Gatwick airport during December’s drone incident.