Image Courtesy: Perseus
A new low-cost interceptor designed to physically destroy small drones has been tested by the U.S. military at Yuma Proving Ground, offering a potential alternative to electronic warfare systems that rely on disrupting or spoofing drone communications.
The interceptor was developed by Perseus Defense, a counter-drone startup that emerged from Y Combinator’s 2025 batch. The company says its Mk-III interceptor costs about $2,500 to manufacture and was launched from an eight-round system during the Falcon Peak 26.2 counter-drone exercise. The test involved U.S. Northern Command, NORAD and the Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401.
Unlike systems that jam radio communications, the Mk-III uses a kinetic hit-to-kill approach. The interceptor physically strikes the target, allowing it to engage drones that may be difficult to defeat electronically, including those using fiber-optic connections, autonomous navigation or preprogrammed flight paths.
Cost is a major part of the system’s design. Perseus is targeting an engagement cost significantly below $100,000, which the company says is common for some existing kinetic drone interceptors. That difference is important because inexpensive drones can cost only a few hundred dollars, creating an unfavorable cost exchange when expensive missiles are used against them.
The technology is being developed amid growing concerns about drone incursions around U.S. military installations. In December 2023, dozens of unidentified drones were reported over Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia, prompting the temporary relocation of F-22 fighter aircraft and highlighting challenges surrounding both the detection and defeat of drones over domestic bases.
The Perseus system was tested at Cibola Range Site 17 during Falcon Peak 26.2, an exercise focused on evaluating counter-small unmanned aircraft technologies. The campaign also examined factors including mobility, magazine capacity and cost per engagement.
Another Perseus interceptor identified during the testing was Harpe, described as a 61-centimeter missile with an engagement range of about 2 kilometers. The launcher reportedly weighs less than 36 kilograms and can carry multiple interceptors, allowing operators to respond to several drone threats without immediately reloading.
Founded in 2025 by aerospace engineers Jason Cornelius and Steve Messinger, Perseus has raised $6.5 million in seed funding. The company is now competing in a rapidly developing counter-drone market where militaries are searching for affordable ways to defeat increasingly inexpensive and sophisticated unmanned aircraft.
