Counter-drone in urban areas: RWS presents Urban Drone Defence ammunition (UDD) in 7.62×51 calibre

With Urban Drone Defence ammunition (UDD), German ammunition manufacturer RWS presented a new type of ammunition for counter-drone use at Enforce Tac in Nuremberg. The UDD is intended as a low-cost and efficient solution against small commercial drones. The ammunition is offered in 7.62×51 calibre in two variants geared to different ranges or areas of use.

Suitable means of defending quickly and effectively against smaller drones are becoming increasingly important – currently seen above all, but not only, in Ukraine. This is where RWS comes in: public events or targets in densely populated areas should be easier to protect. In urban areas, the UDD can neutralise DIY and commercial drones while minimising the risk to the background and to people. Compared with conventional 7.62×51 ammunition, the danger zone was thus reduced by approximately 80 per cent.

The special short-range ammunition with a polymer projectile was developed for high-rate-of-fire machine guns in 7.62×51 calibre. Its design is light but robust, so that the UDD performs optimally in many different counter-drone applications. Because the company deliberately relies on low-emission components such as the patented SINTOX primer, it was also able to reduce pollutant exposure to a minimum.

Counter-drone in two versions: UDD Light and UDD Heavy

According to RWS, the UDD comes in two versions. The UDD Light with a blue polymer projectile is suited to shorter distances of up to 100 metres in densely populated inner-city areas. The UDD Heavy with a grey polymer projectile, by contrast, is designed for medium ranges of up to 300 metres, for example to defend suburbs or rural areas.