David S. Hall, the mind behind lidar tech for autonomous vehicles, has set his sights on the defense sector with a new detection system that tracks high-speed airborne objects.
His Cam-Lidar tech fuses lidar, modern camera optics, and AI to lock onto objects as small as a laptop traveling near Mach 1 (1,225 kilometers/761 miles per hour).
It can track targets from over two kilometers (1.2 miles) away while generating real-time 3D maps of its surroundings.
Compared to traditional tracking, Cam-Lidar relays camera feeds at 60 frames per second, delivering what Hall calls “fail-safe” detection.

“This will be more important than the lidar invention for autonomous driving,” Hall said. “Cam-Lidar is a state-of-the-art, urgently needed technology for US security and global competition in the rapidly growing drone defense sector.”
From Tracking to Takedown
The Cam-Lidar tech works hand in hand with Hall’s electromagnetic launch system capable of deploying up to five net-based devices in just one second.
Together, they create a layered drone defense network that tracks and neutralizes threats with precision while keeping costs lower.
Hall’s products answer government calls for scalable counter-drone systems that also prioritize the safety of consumers.
“With the Cam-Lidar system, one can discreetly and precisely neutralize aerial threats without disruption to surrounding environments,” Hall stated.
“It’s a revolutionary leap forward in how we visualize and respond to high-speed objects in the sky.”