Military vehicles facing first-person view (FPV) drone attacks could get an unusual new shield: a rotating, 36-barrel turret.
Developed by Austrian firm GuardAero, the “APS1” active protection system is designed to intercept incoming drones at close range.
The system could be relevant to Ukraine, where FPV drones pose a persistent threat to vehicles moving near the frontlines.
36 Barrels, One Rotating Turret
APS1 uses four camera blocks to provide 360-degree coverage around the vehicle. The rotating turret can turn toward an approaching threat and direct its ammunition at the target.
That design could be particularly useful when multiple drones approach from the same direction.
Unlike fixed launchers, which are limited by their firing orientation, the turret can redirect its available ammunition toward threats from different angles.
However, the system’s detection range, reaction time, and engagement capabilities remain undisclosed.
Can It Keep Up With a Drone Swarm?
For Ukrainian forces, a system like APS1 could offer another option for protecting pickup trucks, logistics vehicles, and light armored platforms from FPV attacks.
But stopping one drone is different from surviving a swarm. In the released test footage, APS1 fired multiple rounds to intercept a single target.
With 36 barrels, its ammunition supply could run short during repeated attacks, potentially limiting how many threats it can engage before reloading.
GuardAero recently received the Protection Award at Defence Innovation Pitch Day 2026 for APS1. The company has not announced a deployment to Ukraine, and it remains unclear when the system could enter military service.
