Esh-Tech Unveils Laser System Capable of Intercepting Drones Within Seconds
4 June, 2026
Israeli startup Esh-Tech has unveiled DroneLight, a laser-based counter-drone system designed to protect maneuvering forces by neutralizing drones within 1–2 seconds using low power
By Yohai Schwiger
Israeli defense technology company Esh-Tech Systems has unveiled DroneLight, a new laser-based counter-drone system that, according to the company, can neutralize aerial threats within just 1–2 seconds while consuming far less energy than conventional laser defense systems. If the performance claims hold up under operational conditions, the technology could attract significant attention in the rapidly growing counter-UAS market.
According to Esh-Tech, DroneLight was developed for both maneuvering and stationary forces facing threats from drones and loitering explosive UAVs. The system is built around a proprietary laser architecture that uses short, high-energy pulses rather than a continuous beam, enabling rapid target engagement. The company says the system can perform up to 30 interceptions per minute, provides 360-degree coverage at ranges of up to one kilometer, and can be operated by a single user.
One of the most notable aspects of the announcement is the system’s power consumption. Esh-Tech claims DroneLight requires less than 4 kilowatts of power, compared to the tens of kilowatts typically associated with many existing laser defense systems. If validated, such low power requirements could enable deployment on light tactical vehicles without the need for large power-generation infrastructure, significantly expanding the operational use of laser weapons on the battlefield.
The company was founded in 2023 in Israel’s Negev region by Erez Riahi and a team of engineers and developers focused on laser-based solutions for aerial threats. According to company statements, Esh-Tech has received grants from the Israel Innovation Authority and has been selected for defense-related R&D programs supported by Israel’s Ministry of Defense. The company currently employs several dozen people and operates from offices in Omer and Modiin.
Esh-Tech says one of the key challenges facing laser weapons is the transmission of energy through the atmosphere. Humidity, dust, smoke, and air turbulence can disperse part of the beam’s energy before it reaches its target, forcing many systems to rely on very high power levels. According to the company, its technology is based on the real-time identification of short “atmospheric windows”—brief intervals lasting only tens of milliseconds during which the path between the laser and the target becomes clearer and more stable.
“There are very brief windows in which the path between the laser and the target clears,” the company explains. According to Esh-Tech, DroneLight detects these moments and delivers a high-energy pulse precisely when transmission conditions are optimal.
“The system senses atmospheric windows in real time and fires a precisely timed high-energy pulse,” the company wrote in one of its public statements. Esh-Tech argues that this approach allows energy to be used more efficiently, delivering an effect comparable to much larger and more powerful systems while significantly reducing power consumption, system weight, and operating costs.
The sector in which Esh-Tech operates has become one of the fastest-growing areas of defense technology in recent years. For Israel, this is not merely a technological race but an immediate operational requirement. Systems of this type could help address one of the key vulnerabilities of maneuvering ground forces: the growing threat posed by FPV drones and explosive UAVs operating at short ranges. This challenge has become particularly evident in the ongoing fighting in southern Lebanon, where drones have emerged as one of the most significant operational threats facing troops in the field.
Founder and CEO Erez Riahi brings nearly two decades of experience in the defense and electro-optics industries. Prior to establishing Esh-Tech, he served as Head of Marketing and Business Development for the TAMAM division of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), which specializes in advanced electro-optical, navigation, and sensing systems. Earlier in his career, he held senior positions at Elbit Systems, ITL, and ESC BAZ, including responsibility for military laser rangefinder product lines.
In a LinkedIn post published last month as the company emerged from stealth mode, Riahi explained that the decision to establish Esh-Tech stemmed from what he saw as a growing gap between the evolving drone threat and the solutions available on the market.
“Three years ago, I left a comfortable career in the defense industry because I believed there was a problem that nobody was truly solving,” he wrote. According to Riahi, the company’s goal was to develop a new approach for countering drones and drone swarms through smaller, more mobile, and more efficient laser systems.
Despite the promise of the technology, Esh-Tech remains a relatively young company, and its claims have not yet been publicly validated on a large scale. The company says DroneLight is currently undergoing evaluation processes in several countries around the world. If its performance is confirmed through testing and operational deployments, the system could represent a compelling new approach to military laser defense—an area where the challenge is no longer simply generating more power, but delivering fast, affordable, and mobile protection against increasingly numerous aerial threats.
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Posted in tags: Esh-Tech Systems
