The UK military has carried out its first high-power firing of a laser against aerial targets - with the weapon using an "intense beam of light" to cut through drones.
Report informs via Sky News that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said latest trial of the DragonFire system, which typically costs less than £10 a shot, marks a "major step in bringing this technology into service".
DragonFire is a "line of sight weapon" that can "engage with any visible target" at the speed of light, the MoD has said.
The ministry added that the weapon "boasts pinpoint accuracy" and uses an "intense beam of light to cut through the target, leading to structural failure or more impactful results if the warhead is targeted".
The laser has been fired at aerial targets for the first time during a trial at the MoD's Hebrides Range in northwest Scotland.
DragonFire was able to destroy incoming drones from several positions miles away, The Times has reported.
It is hoped the weapon could reduce the UK Armed Forces' reliance on high-cost ammunition, with the cost of firing the laser for 10 seconds equivalent to using a regular heater for an hour.
Both the Army and Royal Navy are considering using this technology as part of their future air defence capabilities.
The MoD recently announced its intention to fund a multi-million pound programme to transition the technology from the research environment to the battlefield.