U.S. counter-UAS firm Epirus has demonstrated that high-power microwave effects can be employed against fiber-optic-guided first-person-view (FPV) drones, a class of threat specifically designed to defeat radio-frequency jamming. Video released by the company shows its Leonidas VehicleKit system disabling an FPV drone during a live-fire test conducted in December 2025 at a U.S. government test range, according to accompanying Epirus statements. The demonstration underscores growing concern among U.S. and allied militaries that low-cost, highly resilient drones—now prevalent on the battlefield in Ukraine—are undermining traditional base defense and force-protection concepts.
Fiber-optic FPV drones represent a significant challenge because they bypass the conventional counter-drone toolkit. Most small unmanned aircraft depend on RF command-and-control links that can be jammed, spoofed, or disrupted. Fiber-optic variants instead use a physical tether, maintaining a direct connection between the drone and its operator via a thin cable. This design removes the RF link entirely, depriving electronic warfare systems of their primary attack vector. In operational terms, it allows FPV attack and ISR drones to remain effective in heavily contested electromagnetic environments where RF-based countermeasures dominate.
Epirus positions Leonidas as a solution that targets the drone itself rather than its communications pathway. The company describes the system as delivering software-defined, weaponized electromagnetic effects that induce failure across critical onboard electronics. Instead of destroying the airframe kinetically, Leonidas disrupts flight controllers, processors, power management units, and navigation systems—subsystems essential for sustained flight. This approach directly addresses the fiber-optic challenge: even with uninterrupted operator control, the drone remains dependent on electronics vulnerable to high-power microwave exposure.
Leonidas belongs to the broader class of directed-energy systems based on high-power microwave technology. First introduced by Epirus in 2020, the platform has undergone rapid development, with a third-generation configuration revealed in April 2022 featuring significant hardware and software enhancements and more than double the output power of earlier versions. The system adopts a ruggedized, vehicle-mounted architecture and can be equipped with a 360-degree mechanical gimbal to expand coverage against multi-directional threats—an important factor for fixed-site and base defense. The non-kinetic concept allows rapid, repeatable engagements without consuming interceptors or imposing logistical resupply demands.
The system’s design also emphasizes scalability and integration. Epirus describes Leonidas as a modular platform built around an open systems architecture, with an open API enabling integration into broader command-and-control networks for detection, tracking, and engagement. The use of gallium nitride semiconductors supports high power density while minimizing thermal constraints, avoiding reliance on vacuum tubes or complex cooling systems. A digitally beam-formed antenna focuses energy on the target while limiting unintended exposure to friendly assets. To support sustained operations, Epirus highlights field-replaceable amplifier modules, with maintenance reportedly achievable in under eight minutes—an important consideration for high-tempo defensive use.
