This mobile, robotic configuration ensures perimeter security without exposing human operators to incoming kinetic or explosive threats.

By Hezy Laing

The SMASH fire control system was originally engineered by Israeli defense company Smart Shooter to be mounted on individual infantry rifles, to enable soldiers to better target moving objects, such as drones.

But the technology has recently been extended to autonomous robotic platforms like the SMASH-UGV (Unmanned Ground Vehicle).

This anti-drone robot integrates Smart Shooter’s proprietary SMASH Hopper light remote-controlled weapon station (LRCWS) onto an unmanned mobile chassis to protect airbases and critical infrastructure from low-altitude aerial threats.

By combining computer vision, real-time target tracking, and advanced ballistic calculations, the system automates target acquisition to guarantee a first-round hit against agile moving targets like quadcopters and loitering munitions.

The mechanical backbone of the system frequently relies on robust robotic platforms, such as the Roboteam PROBOT or Nova quarterly tactical UGV, which provide all-terrain mobility and a payload capacity exceeding 150 kilograms.

Mounted atop the vehicle, the SMASH Hopper system weighs approximately 15 kilograms and can be integrated with standard military rifles like the M4 carbine or AR-15, chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition.

The automated turret provides 360-degree continuous panning and an elevation range from -20 to +60 degrees, allowing it to track high-angle aerial threats.

Operating via a secure radio frequency data link, the system transmits a live video feed to a handheld operator control unit up to 1.5 kilometers away, maintaining a strict human-in-the-loop fire policy for safety.

The SMASH-UGV utilizes an optical sight equipped with a thermal imaging channel for night operations, paired with a laser rangefinder to calculate precise target distances up to 250 meters for micro-drones.

Its internal processing unit locks onto a drone, predicts its flight path, and physically blocks the rifle’s trigger mechanism until the barrel aligns perfectly with the predicted intercept point.

Defense organizations, including the U.S. Department of Defense’s Irregular Warfare Technical Support Directorate (IWTSD) and the IDF, have evaluated or deployed Smart Shooter’s automated technologies to counter the rising threat of cheap, weaponized commercial drones.

This mobile, robotic configuration ensures perimeter security without exposing human operators to incoming kinetic or explosive threats.