ENGINEERING & SELECTION GUIDE
Anti-Drone Netting Selection Guide: Start With the Drone, Not the Net
The right net depends on what it has to stop. Weight, speed and payload define the energy the system must absorb, the mesh that will hold the airframe and the structure that has to carry the load. Use this guide for budget and concept discussions; final mesh, material and structure are confirmed by MAISHI engineering against your site data and threat definition.
1. Understanding the Threat: UAS Group Classification
We use the U.S. DoD UAS group classification as a common reference when defining the design threat. A drone that exceeds any one attribute of a group is classified in the next higher group.
| Group | Max. take-off weight | Operating altitude | Speed | Typical examples | MAISHI starting point |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Group 1 | 0–20 lb (≤ 9 kg) | < 1,200 ft AGL | < 100 kt | Commercial quadcopters, FPV | Series 01 synthetic capture nets |
| Group 2 | 21–55 lb (9–25 kg) | < 3,500 ft AGL | < 250 kt | Larger multirotors, small fixed-wing | Series 02 / Series 03 |
| Group 3+ | < 1,320 lb (≤ 600 kg) | < 18,000 ft MSL | < 250 kt | Fixed-wing, loitering munitions | Series 03, engineered per project |
2. Design Energy and Three Design Principles
Design energy: E = ½ · m · v²
Kinetic energy rises with the square of speed. Doubling the speed of the same drone quadruples the energy the net, ropes and posts must manage.
| Example | Approx. energy |
|---|---|
| 1 kg FPV at 30 m/s | 0.45 kJ |
| 5 kg multirotor at 30 m/s | 2.25 kJ |
| 25 kg fixed-wing at 40 m/s | 20 kJ |
| 200 kg UAV at 185 km/h | 264 kJ |
Three design principles
- Mesh smaller than the target. The opening must be smaller than the smallest dimension of the airframe, so the drone is caught instead of passing through.
- Deflection is by design. Flexible systems absorb energy by controlled deformation. A stand-off distance between net and asset is part of every design.
- The structure is part of the system. Posts, cables and anchors must carry the same load as the net. Foundations are designed by a local structural engineer.
Nets reduce the risk of direct impact. Payload effects such as blast, fragments or fire are outside the scope of a netting system and must be addressed by the overall protection design.
3. Where MAISHI Fits in a Layered Counter-UAS Design
Counter-UAS protection works in layers. System integrators lead detection, command and soft-kill. MAISHI supplies the passive physical layer and the engineering support that comes with it: complementary, not competing.
| Layer | Function | Supplied by |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Detect | Radar, RF sensors, EO/IR cameras, acoustic sensors | System integrator |
| 02 Identify & decide | Command and control, classification, operator decision | System integrator |
| 03 Soft kill | RF jamming, GNSS disruption (licensed operators only) | System integrator |
| 04 Physical interception | Capture nets, rope net canopies, stand-off barriers, ring net systems | MAISHI MFG. supply + engineering |
No power
Fully passive. No electricity, software or operator required to function.
No emissions
Does not jam or transmit and needs no spectrum licence. Synthetic nets are non-conductive.
Link-independent
Works against drones that ignore RF countermeasures, including fiber-optic and autonomous types.
24/7
Always on, in any light or weather, with routine inspection only.
4. Three Product Series, Matched to the Threat
Every project starts from one of three series. Each can be supplied as material only, as a kit with fittings, or as an engineered system with drawings and installation guidance.
| Series 01 Precision capture nets | Series 02 Stainless & galvanized rope nets | Series 03 Steel rope & ring net systems | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target threat | Small UAV and FPV (Group 1) | Small to medium UAV | Larger, heavier and faster UAV |
| Materials | PP, HDPE, nylon (PA6), polyester (PES) | Stainless or galvanized steel | High-tensile coated steel |
| Best for | Large overhead canopies, perimeters, temporary and event protection | Vessels, marine and coastal sites, permanent façades and screens | Energy, oil & gas and high-value fixed sites |
5. Selection Guide by Scenario
| Scenario | Series | Recommended net | Structure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil & gas storage tank | 01 / 03 | Knotted rope net side, knotless net top; steel option for higher threat | Square steel frame, 3–5 m stand-off, galvanized cable grid |
| Substation, power & solar plant | 01 / 03 | PP or HDPE knotless canopy; ring net system for heavy UAV | Modular canopy, 20–30 m bays, catenary cables |
| Vessel bridge & deck | 02 | Marine-grade stainless rope net | Removable frames tensioned to padeyes |
| Port & coastal facility | 02 | Stainless or galvanized rope net | Posts and wire rope, marine-grade fittings |
| Event venue & stadium | 01 | Gray flame-retardant knotless net | Suspended from truss, drop lines every 5–10 m |
| Temporary / rapid deployment | 01 | Knotless PP or nylon panels with edge rope | Poles and guy ropes, or existing structures |
| High-value fixed site, heavy UAV threat | 03 | Outer ring net + inner chain-link net | Engineered posts, cables, dissipation rings |
| Bulk supply for contractors | 01 | Standard rolls, PP or HDPE knotless | By contractor |
Synthetic or steel?
Synthetic nets are light, non-conductive and economical for small UAV. Steel nets are chosen for higher energy, fire exposure, salt spray or long design life.
Knotless or knotted?
Knotless nets have lower weight and wind drag and a smoother surface. Knotted nets offer higher node strength for heavier duty.
Which mesh?
Smaller than the smallest airframe dimension of the target drone, balanced against wind load and visibility.
6. Typical Solution: Oil & Gas Storage Tank
Square steel frame around the tank with a defined stand-off distance; side and top nets on a galvanized cable grid. Budgetary quantities for your tank sizes are provided on request.
Other typical solutions: large-area overhead canopy for substations and solar sites (budget net area based on footprint), vessel bridge and deck protection, bulk rolls for contractors, event and venue overhead nets, and the net layer for counter-UAS system integrators. Illustrative reference drawings MS-AD-01 to MS-AD-06 (storage tank kit, overhead canopy, vessel protection, connection details, layered protection, event venue net) are available on request for budgetary use; they are not for construction.
7. Components: A Net Is Only as Strong as Its Connections
MAISHI supplies the complete load path from net to anchor point, so that ropes, fittings and energy-absorbing hardware are matched to the net they carry.
| Component | Typical specification |
|---|---|
| Energy-dissipation (brake) rings | Limit peak forces on posts and anchors during an impact. Replaceable after an impact. |
| Sliding support connectors | Stainless steel units that let the net move along the support rope, spreading impact load across the panel. |
| Galvanized steel wire rope | High-strength galvanized cable system, sized by design and supplied cut to length. |
| Edge and lacing ropes | Fibre or wire rope edges sewn through every border mesh; lacing with overlap at joints. |
| Turnbuckles and shackles | Hot-dip galvanized or stainless, sized to the rope breaking load with a safety factor set by the engineer. |
| Hog rings and fixings | Attach nets to support cables; snap hooks for maintenance openings. |
| Posts and base plates | Supplied, or specified for local procurement to reduce freight on long sections. |
| Anchors and footings | Anchor bolt and footing loads provided as input data; foundations designed by the local structural engineer. |
8. Execution Model: China Supply + Local Installation + MAISHI Technical Guidance
| MAISHI provides | Local partner / client | External specialists |
|---|---|---|
| Nets, ropes, connectors and dissipation hardware Load estimates Drawings and structural input data Installation guidance and remote technical support Inspection and maintenance documents | Site survey and permits Foundations and civil works Posts procured locally where efficient Lifting, installation and labour Local code compliance | Full structural and dynamic FEA Blast and fragment assessment Third-party design verification Owner acceptance testing |
9. Quality, Test Methods and Documents
Every order runs through a 12-step in-line quality system under our ISO 9001 quality management framework, with batch records that follow the product to site.
Documents we can provide
- ISO 9001 quality management certificate
- Technical data sheet (for qualified projects)
- Factory inspection and batch records
- Drawings, panel lists and installation instructions
- Inspection and maintenance checklist
- Packing list, marking and container loading plan
Swatches and multi-specification sample sets are available for qualified projects and tenders; full-size mock-ups on request.
10. From Inquiry to Installation
- 01 Inquiry & checklist: share your application and the details listed here.
- 02 Technical clarification: a call to confirm threat, site and scope. NDA before any sensitive layout or security information is exchanged.
- 03 Concept & budget: standard nets, specification and price typically within 24 hours; engineered systems, preliminary review in 7–10 working days.
- 04 Samples & mock-up: material samples or a test panel to confirm workmanship and specification.
- 05 Production & QC: scheduled production with in-line inspection and batch documentation.
- 06 Delivery & installation support: container loading plan, installation instructions, remote technical support and after-sales support.
What we need for an accurate proposal
- Application: what you need to protect, indoors or outdoors
- Threat: drone type, weight, speed and payload
- Size: L × W × H, or tank diameter × height
- Installation: overhead, vertical, perimeter or temporary; existing structure
- Drawings: site plan, photos or layout
- Environment: wind, UV, salt spray, fire rating required
- Commercial: quantity, destination port, Incoterm and timeline
- End user: company and country of use
Compliance: all projects are subject to export-control and end-use screening. MAISHI supplies passive physical protection products only and does not supply detection, jamming or weapon systems.
MAISHI anti-drone nets reduce the risk of direct drone impact on protected assets. They do not guarantee interception of every threat and do not provide blast or fragment protection. Typical solutions are reference concepts, not records of delivered projects. Specifications are typical values and may change without notice; project values are confirmed in the technical data sheet and contract documents.