How DroneShield protected Brazil’s president

DroneShield’s CEO tells Defence Connect editor Liam Garman how his drone guns have made global headlines

Tensions were already high on 1 January in Brasilia. Just days before Lula’s inauguration, a Brazilian man was arrested following a bomb threat that authorities suspect was calculated to sow trouble in the nation’s capital. At the same time, supporters of former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro rallied in front of military bases to encourage armed intervention amid concerns of electoral misconduct. An ongoing concern in the minds of many Brazilian voters following allegations against Lula of corruption and money laundering.

Despite the threat of political outbursts — how abstract or real they were, we do not know — Lula’s supporters gathered around Planalto Palace to celebrate the 77-year-old’s return to office for the third time. The president-elect even agreed to take part in the traditional car parade. Amid crowds of supporters, global media, and protesters, concerns surrounding suspicious drone activity were found warranted. In fact, it was confirmed that during the inauguration, Brazilian federal police deployed their DroneShield counter-UAS assets to “neutralise” four unknown drones that were detected moving toward the president.