Epirus has successfully demonstrated its Leonidas high-power microwave (HPM) system defeating a fiber-optic guided drone, marking a significant advance in counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) warfare. A video released by the company shows the Leonidas VehicleKit disabling the drone during a live-fire test at a U.S. government site in December 2025. This event is the first known instance of weaponized electromagnetic interference neutralizing a drone controlled via fiber-optic cable, a threat that has evaded traditional electronic warfare defenses.
The demonstration addresses a critical and growing tactical challenge. Fiber-optic first-person-view (FPV) drones, widely used in conflicts like Ukraine, operate without a radio frequency (RF) command link. Instead, they are tethered to their operators by thin, miles-long fiber-optic cables, making them immune to standard jamming and spoofing techniques. These drones have become a preferred tool for precision attacks and reconnaissance, with Ukrainian officials noting Russian models boasting ranges up to 31 miles and posing a severe threat to logistics and personnel.
The Leonidas platform counters this by targeting the drone’s onboard electronics directly. It emits precise, software-defined bursts of electromagnetic energy, inducing what Epirus terms a “full kill” within critical circuits, without relying on kinetic impact or RF disruption. The system uses highly directional, phased-array antennas to focus non-ionizing radiation on the target, a method the company states is safe for humans when used as intended. This focused energy allows for near-instantaneous effects, giving operators potential influence over where a disabled drone falls to minimize collateral damage.
“The proliferation of fiber-optic guided UAS represents a major shift in drone warfare and exposes a growing operational gap for counter-UAS defenses — one that Leonidas is designed to address and close,” said Andy Lowery, CEO of Epirus. He emphasized that this capability is a breakthrough in providing safe, non-kinetic defense against evolving drone tactics.
The test validates concerns raised in a U.S. Army analysis from August 2025, which concluded fiber-optic FPV drones are “extremely difficult to detect and target” and pose a “significant counter-UAS challenge.” Epirus’s demonstration positions its Leonidas HPM system as a potential solution to this next-generation threat, aiming to restore a defensive advantage against drones that currently operate with near-impunity against legacy electronic warfare systems.
