Interceptor drone Kreuger 100: Nordic Air Defence relies on software instead of jammers

To counter the growing threat from small drones, especially commercial quadcopters, the Swedish start-up Nordic Air Defence (NAD) is developing a lightweight interceptor drone: the Kreuger 100.

It is designed for both military and civilian use. In NAD's view, existing anti-drone systems – jammers, lasers or kinetic defence weapons – are either too expensive or barely effective against modern, compact drones.

The company therefore presents the Kreuger 100 as a lightweight, low-cost defence system ready for series production. An advanced guidance system with infrared imaging and artificial intelligence allows the drone to classify and prioritise targets autonomously.

The concept was validated together with physicists from the Swedish Defence Research Agency FOI. They confirmed that conventional anti-drone hardware can technically be replaced by software-controlled systems.

Interceptor drone with up to 270 km/h

The civilian version of the Kreuger 100 reaches up to 270 km/h; military variants are expected to be even faster. The battery-powered system combines software-defined control, infrared tracking and a modular design for mission-specific payloads.

In the civilian sector, the Kreuger 100 could help protect airports, nuclear power plants, ports, government buildings, ships and other critical infrastructure. Unauthorised drone flights are increasing in Sweden, including suspected attempts to spy on critical infrastructure.

Behind this lies a structural problem: Swedish air defence currently covers only around five per cent of the national territory, mostly military facilities. This leaves considerable security gaps in the civilian domain.