A Multi-stage Guidance Framework for Small-drone Interception

Small drones have become significant asymmetric threats in uncertain environments, while conventional countermeasures, such as net guns and jammers, often exhibit low success rates due to the lack of follow-up capability after initial interception failure. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a multi-stage guidance law based on a response-driven scenario. The approach first employs model predictive control to guide the counter-drone to an optimal engagement. If the primary interception position fails, the system transitions to a secondary mode using proportional velocity guidance to re-engage and neutralize maneuvering targets. Monte Carlo simulations with statistical analysis demonstrate that the proposed strategy significantly improves mission success rates and overall reliability compared to conventional single-stage methods across diverse dynamic conditions.