Laserverse Defence, a division of Laserverse, is bringing compact directed-energy counter-drone capability to Canada. With Fergus Engineering of Belgium, we are testing and validating its 3 kW LARX laser effector, hardening it for Canadian climates, and scaling production with Canadian partners.
Small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), including commercial quadcopters, first-person-view (FPV) drones and modified hobby aircraft, are inexpensive, widely available and increasingly used for surveillance and attack. They can be difficult to detect, can be launched in numbers, and can threaten personnel, vehicles, installations and critical infrastructure.
Established countermeasures such as guns, interceptors and electronic warfare remain essential. However, they are not always well suited to large numbers of small, low-cost targets, or to use near populated areas and civilian infrastructure. Defenders are therefore looking for additional layers.
A high-energy laser (HEL) delivers focused light onto a target to produce a controlled effect. Depending on power and engagement time, that effect can range from temporarily dazzling a drone's camera to damaging components such as sensors or propulsion.
Because a laser is powered electrically, it does not draw on a stock of expendable interceptors. A system can keep engaging for as long as power and cooling are available.
Directed energy is not a replacement for other counter-UAS measures. It is intended to be one layer in a system that also includes detection, identification, command and control, and other effectors. Its effect depends on range, atmospheric conditions, target type and the time the beam is held on target.
When drones arrive quickly or in numbers, the time needed to defeat each one decides how many a single system can handle.
In testing, LARX defeated camera sensors with just 0.05 seconds of time on target, and achieved a hard kill in 2 seconds.
High-speed beam steering and short engagement times let one effector address more threats in less time, an advantage against coordinated and swarm attacks.
LARX is a 3 kW high-energy laser effector developed by Fergus Engineering. It is designed to mount on existing counter-UAS platforms and to work with an operator's own detection, tracking and command systems rather than replace them.
LARX defeats small (Class 1) drones, either by damaging critical components (hard kill) or by over-illuminating onboard cameras (dazzle). It is built from industrial-grade components in a modular architecture that scales from fixed sites to mobile installations.
CueThe host counter-UAS system detects a threat and cues the effector.
EngageThe effector directs and holds the laser beam on the target.
AssessThe effect is assessed before the next engagement.Stills from Fergus Engineering demonstration footage.
Viersel, Belgium · Technology developer
An engineering company founded in 2024 by an engineer with more than a decade of R&D management experience in the laser-cleaning industry. Fergus Engineering provides product development, laser-application engineering and engineering consultancy, with a focus on the defence and security sector, and is the developer of the LARX laser effector.
fergus-engineering.be (opens in a new tab)Canada · Industrial laser systems
A Canadian supplier of industrial laser-cleaning systems. Laserverse sells, integrates and supports high-power (Class 4) laser equipment for industrial customers, and provides operator training, laser-safety equipment, process development and field service.
Laserverse Industrial (opens in a new tab)Canada · A division of Laserverse
The defence technology division of Laserverse, established to pursue directed-energy defence technology in Canada. Laserverse Defence is working with Fergus Engineering on the testing, validation, environmental hardening and Canadian production of LARX. Any manufacturing, licensing or supply arrangements remain subject to agreement.
Laserverse Defence will help take LARX further: extending its reach through testing and validation, hardening it for Canadian climates and then for deployment abroad, and scaling production with key Canadian partners, including established manufacturers among Laserverse’s existing customers.
Structured testing and validation to extend the distances at which LARX can engage.
Hardening the system for Canadian climates, from extreme cold, snow and ice to wide temperature swings, and then for deployment abroad.
Building a Canadian production base with key industrial partners able to manufacture and engineer at scale.
Integration with Canadian platforms and command systems, backed by Laserverse’s laser-safety, operator-training and field-service experience.
Timelines depend on testing, partner agreements and applicable Canadian requirements, including laser-safety, airspace and controlled-goods regulations.
We welcome discussions with Canadian defence and security organizations, government departments, platform integrators, industrial partners and critical-infrastructure operators.
Detailed technical information is available to qualified organizations, subject to appropriate agreements.
Prefer email? info@laserverse.ca