- New system format integrates INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD into a compact, agile UGV platform
- System is designed to counter NATO UAS Class I and II drones without ammunition or collateral damage in under one second
- Collaboration with STARK and Hentschel System expands deployment options for mobile C-UAS scenarios
Hanover, 28 May 2026 – INLEAP Photonics is developing a new product for laser-based drone defence on an unmanned ground platform, thereby creating additional deployment options for mobile C-UAS scenarios (Counter-Unmanned Aircraft Systems). The system is based on INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD technology and combines the laser effector with a compact, all-terrain UGV platform (Unmanned Ground Vehicle) from Hentschel System as well as the C-UAS software platform provided by defence company STARK.
The new solution was presented for the first time on 12 May 2026 during the technology showcase hosted by the Bundeswehr Innovation Centre at Erding Air Base. The presentation formed part of a capability assessment for NATO UAS Class I and II counter-UAS and attracted significant interest from representatives of the German armed forces and the defence industry. Among those attending were Lieutenant General Christian Freuding, Inspector of the German Army, and Rear Admiral Christian Bock, Head of the Bundeswehr Drone Innovation Centre and host of the event. The INLEAP Photonics team, led by CEO Dr.-Ing. Marius Lammers and CTO Dr.-Ing. Felix Wellmann, personally introduced the system and discussed the technology and potential deployment scenarios in direct exchanges with both officials.
Compact System Format for Flexible C-UAS Scenarios
With the new product, INLEAP Photonics is responding to the constantly evolving requirements of drone defence. Small, low-cost drones are no longer used solely against stationary targets, but increasingly against mobile units, temporary protected areas and critical infrastructure in changing operational situations. This is driving demand for systems that are rapidly deployable, reliably operational and effective even in challenging terrain.
The integration onto an unmanned ground platform brings INLEAP® FASTLIGHT® SHIELD even closer to these dynamic operational scenarios and expands the possibilities for providing C-UAS capabilities in demanding terrain. The system is designed to counter NATO UAS Class I and II drones without ammunition or collateral damage in under one second.
“With this new system approach, we are deploying our laser effector on an unmanned ground platform for the first time,” says Dr Marius Lammers, Co-Founder and CEO of INLEAP Photonics. “This brings together mobility, interoperability and effectiveness, enabling armed forces to access precise, scalable and rapidly available drone defence.”
The new system therefore addresses exactly the mobile C-UAS capability that the Bundeswehr Innovation Centre specifically sought during the capability demonstration on 12 May 2026: highly mobile, field-ready systems for countering UAS threats in NATO Classes I and II, ready for trials in the third quarter of 2026 in a national and collective defence scenario and ready for delivery from 2027.
About INLEAP Photonics
INLEAP Photonics is a high-tech company that produces and markets ultra-fast, precise laser beam steering systems. The company focuses in particular on two application areas: increasing the efficiency of industrial laser-based manufacturing processes and enabling safe, controlled drone defence to protect people and critical infrastructure.
INLEAP Photonics was founded as a spin-off from Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. and combines industrial robustness with leading expertise in optics and laser systems technology. Further information is available at: inleap-photonics.com.
