A cassette for deploying one or more entangling projectiles includes a pair of sockets, each socket being in fluid communication with a pressure source. An entangling projectile includes a pair of anchors connected by a tether, each of the pair of anchors being positionable within one of the sockets and the tether being carried by the cassette. Each socket carries a slidable piston positionable in a respective socket between an entangling projectile and the pressure source such that each slidable piston is propelled along a respective socket in response to a pressure wave generated by the pressure source to thereby expel the anchor from the socket. Each of a pair of retaining clips is engageable with an anchor and with a socket to aid in retaining the respective anchor in the respective socket prior to generation of the pressure wave.

A cassette for deploying one or more anchors can include at least one socket in fluid communication with a pressure source and at least one anchor being positionable within the at least one socket. At least one slidable piston can be positionable in the at least one socket between the anchor and the pressure source such that the slidable piston is propelled along the socket in response to a pressure wave generated by the pressure source to thereby expel the anchor from the socket. The slidable piston can include a first, relatively rigid component coupled to a second, relatively pliable component. A portion of the piston can be seated in intimate contact with a portion of the anchor when the anchor and piston are positioned within the socket.

A projectile deployment system includes an entangling projectile having a pair of anchors and a tether connecting the pellets. A projectile casing includes a pair of sockets, each socket sized to carry one of the pair of anchors. At least one pressure source is capable of expelling one or both of the anchors from the projectile casing toward a subject. At least one of the entangling projectile or the projectile casing can be configured such that the pair of anchors travel toward the subject with differing flight characteristics after being expelled from the projectile casing.

A system for neutralizing target aerial vehicles comprises a projectile launching mechanism that launches a projectile that supports a counter-attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) having an aerial vehicle countermeasure. The counter-attack UAV can be folded in the projectile, and operable to unfold when separated from the projectile. The system comprises an aerial vehicle detection system comprising a detection sensor that detects a target aerial vehicle. Upon detection, the projectile launching mechanisms launches the projectile, and the counter-attack UAV is thereafter separated from the projectile to operate in flight to neutralize the detected target aerial vehicle with the aerial vehicle countermeasure. The projectile launching mechanism can comprise a movable platform comprising a plurality of projectiles and counter-attack UAVs, and can comprise a detection sensor to detect target aerial vehicles.

A near-range launcher assembly for at least temporarily detaining a subject include a primary launcher carrying a first projectile, the first projectile including a pair of pellets and a tether connecting the pellets. A secondary launcher carries a second projectile. At least one power source is associated with one or both of the primary and secondary launchers. At least one control system is operably coupled to the at least one power source, the control system operable to activate the power source. At least one user input is operably coupled to the at least one control system, the user input operable to communicate with the control system based on input from the user to activate the at least one power source to expel one or both of the first projectile and the second projectile from the launchers toward the subject.

An entanglement device (50) has multiple elongate filaments (53) attached together to form a tassel. The entanglement device (50) is of particular use for disabling the propellers (52) of a nuisance airborne drone. When deployed, the filaments (53) spread apart over a relatively wide area before being pulled into the drone's propellers (52), wrapping around them and forcing the drone to land. Also included is a method of disabling a propeller (52) of a drone.

An entangling projectile for use with a projectile deployment system includes a pair of pellets. At least one of the pair of pellets has a head with a head outer diameter and a shank with a shank outer diameter, the shank outer diameter being less than the head outer diameter. A tether connects the pair of pellets. A centering shroud is carried by a shank of the at least one of the pair of pellets. The centering shroud has at least one tether opening formed therein to receive the tether. The tether is coupled to the pellet and extends along the shank of the pellet and through the at least one tether opening formed in the centering shroud.

A projectile deployment system includes a projectile casing having a pair of sockets, each socket sized to carry one of a pair of anchors of an entangling projectile having a tether connecting the pair of anchors. Each of the pair of sockets is angled equally relative to a centerline defined between the sockets. One or more pressure sources is capable of generating a pressure wave capable of expelling one or more of the anchors from the sockets to deploy the entangling projectile from the projectile casing toward a subject. A controller is operable to activate one or both of the pressure sources. A sight is oriented along a target line, the target line being offset relative to the centerline defined between the sockets such that when the anchors are deployed from the projectile casing they exhibit differing flight characteristics.

A projectile deployment system includes an entangling projectile having a pair of anchors and a tether connecting the pellets. A projectile casing includes a pair of sockets, each socket sized to carry one of the pair of anchors. At least one pressure source is capable of expelling one or both of the anchors from the projectile casing toward a subject. At least one of the entangling projectile or the projectile casing can be configured such that the pair of anchors travel toward the subject with differing flight characteristics after being expelled from the projectile casing.

A system for alerting a user to a state of a weapon includes a safety assembly, operably coupled to the weapon and operable to selectively render the weapon into either a safe mode or a firing mode. A motor is carried by the weapon and is operably coupled to the safety assembly so as to be engaged when the weapon is in the firing mode. The motor is operable to impart vibratory motion to the weapon of sufficient magnitude that a wielder of the weapon can tactilely sense the vibratory motion without visually inspecting the weapon to thereby sense that the weapon is in the firing mode without visually inspecting the weapon.