IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Iron Beam: Israel's first operational anti drone laser system

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Technical Challenges and Power Requirements

Discussions focused on dwell time, beam focus, and energy delivery at range, questioning if 100kW suffices against drones.

"I wonder how long it has to focus on a drone to eliminate it. Like how long is this thing consuming 100kW?" (cogman10)

"10kW/m^2 is enough to overheat or disable a UAV" (condensedcrab); countered by > "10kw/m2 isn't much more than sunlight... you're not gonna do much" (cenamus)

2. Cost-Effectiveness Against Cheap Rockets/Drones

Many praised it as a cheaper alternative to Iron Dome interceptors, reversing the economics of "statistical" attacks.

"This was foremost developed as an anti-rocket system... supposed to reverse the cost equation (cheaper than those cheap rockets)" (breppp)

"Iron Dome intercepted ~90%... resulting in thousands of lives saved. Iron Beam... much lower cost" (judah)

3. Defensive vs. Offensive Implications

Debate on whether shields enable aggression by providing impunity, with philosophical takes on weapons.

"There is no such thing as a defensive weapon... missile shield allows the owner to act with impunity" (jmyeet)

"peace through strength... keeps our innate capability for evil in check" (geertj)

🚀 Project Ideas

Drone Thermal Shielding Analysis Tool

Summary

  • A specialized simulation and CAD plugin to test how drone materials (aerogels, heat-resistant coatings, reflective paints) withstand high-energy laser (HEL) directed energy.
  • HN users debated the effectiveness of "spinning to distribute heat," reflective paint, and aerogels to defeat systems like Iron Beam. This tool helps developers benchmark these defenses.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Drone manufacturers and defense researchers
Core Feature Simulation of 100kW laser impact on various drone materials and flight patterns
Tech Stack Python, OpenFOAM (thermal modeling), Three.js
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: SaaS per-seat license

Notes

  • Responds to the debate on "asymmetric ablative jets" and the "arms race" between shielding and beam intensity.
  • Commenters like chmod775 noted: "Easy defense for the drone would be just: get into a spin to get roasted evenly." This tool would prove or disprove that hypothesis.

LaserLine: Autonomous CV-based Asset Tracking

Summary

  • A high-speed computer vision software suite optimized for identifying and tracking small, fast-moving objects in low-visibility or "naped-of-the-earth" environments.
  • Addresses the "first-order problem of detection" mentioned in the discussion, specifically for drones moving near the ground where radar fails.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Security firms and autonomous vehicle developers
Core Feature Millisecond-latency object recognition for non-ballistic trajectories
Tech Stack C++, CUDA, YOLOv8/v10 (custom trained)
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: B2B licensing or per-device royalty

Notes

  • HN user cogman10 pointed out: "The bigger issue... would have been the lens and tracking capabilities... using high speed cameras and doing object detection each frame."
  • This moves the "logic" of the Iron Beam into a standalone software product for other optical defense applications.

PowerStack: High-Discharge Power Module for Edge Computing

Summary

  • A modular, ruggedized battery and capacitor system designed to deliver high bursts of power (100kW+) for fixed periods, specifically for energy-intensive edge hardware.
  • Solves the problem of delivering massive power to remote systems without a steady 3-phase grid connection.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Industrial IoT and remote infrastructure operators
Core Feature Rapid-discharge ultracapacitor bank with standard EV-style charging
Tech Stack Hardware (BMS), Lithium-Titanate or Solid-state cells
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: Direct hardware sales

Notes

  • Based on the discussion between cogman10 and amluto regarding the feat of delivering 100kW for short periods and the use of "huge banks of ultra-capacitors."
  • Validates the user suggestion: "High-end EVs are generally rated for 300-500kW... it would be amusing to see one of these lasers mounted on an EV."

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