American engineers in Silicon Valley have built what they describe as an airborne «invisible shield» against drones — a high-power electronic system that can stop unmanned aircraft by frying their electronics, Neue Zürcher Zeitung reports.

The device, developed by Epirus and presented by CEO Andy Louri as the Leonidas system, generates an intense electromagnetic field that disrupts a drone’s control systems. Louri likened the effect to a computer’s «blue screen of death»: the unmanned aircraft loses control and ceases to function.

Leonidas has already drawn military attention. Epirus has won several major contracts, including a $66 million order from the United States Army. The system has undergone tests in the Indo-Pacific and the Middle East, and a second-generation unit reportedly knocked out 49 drones simultaneously during trials at a range in Indiana.

According to the report, Leonidas is slated for final trials in California; armed forces will decide on mass procurement after those evaluations. The technology has also attracted interest from foreign governments, with Britain, Germany, Japan and Australia named as potential customers.

A single Leonidas installation carries a hefty price tag — quoted at $10–20 million — and Epirus pitches it as useful not only in wartime but also for protecting critical sites from terrorist drone attacks.

NZZ’s coverage stresses the system’s vulnerabilities as well: the powerful electromagnetic emissions that disable drones also make the emitter detectable, exposing it to targeting. For that reason, Epirus recommends a «shoot-and-scoot» doctrine — strike quickly, then withdraw — to reduce exposure.