An Israeli-designed, drone-based sensor capable of remotely detecting explosives, hazardous material and drugs was unveiled at a trade show in Tel Aviv this week at the Homeland Security Expo.

Laser Detect System (LDS) Ltd., the company behind the SpectroDrone system which specialized in laser detection technology, claims that the device can identify “explosives and other hazardous materials, in gas, liquid, powder or bulk form, at a distance of several meters from the threat.”

The sensor is mounted on an Airbotics Optimus drone capable of flying a distance of up to three kilometers, allowing for safe detection without endangering lives, according to the developer. The system can also be mounted on robots or vehicles.

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The SpectroDrone system uses a laser source which emits several wavelengths, a laser range finder and a high-resolution camera. This is combined with an algorithm which the company claims allows for detection sensitivity while reducing both false negatives and false positives.

LDS founder and president Eli Venezia said the company was “very excited to unveil this innovative solution for security and anti-terror applications at Israel’s HLS & Cyber. We are also encouraged by the great promise our technology offers for commercial applications.”

“The next generation of security lies in introducing unique technological capabilities, which I believe LDS and Airbotics bring jointly to market,” said Ran Krauss, CEO and co-founder of Airbotics.

LDS was founded in 2004 and has a range of products, from a handheld scanner, a scanner capable of detecting low-volatile organic substances in extremely low concentrations and a bottle scanner which allows airport security to check for explosives rather than confiscate liquids.