Two big lessons learned from the conflicts in Ukraine and Nagorna Karabakh are that drones are extremely effective on the battlefield at a much lower cost than existing missile and bomb systems. Its small size makes the drone not only difficult to detect by radar but also difficult to be heard by the enemy and difficult to shoot down. So the conventional army needs a system to repel drone attacks for future war needs.
Anduril, the drone company founded by the creator of Oculus, Palmer Luckey presented the Roadrunner-M drone designed to destroy enemy drones and even small aircraft. The Roadrunner-M is equipped with two jet engines that allow it to fly vertically and reach subsonic speeds. With a warhead, it can intercept enemy drones or aircraft (including helicopters) before exploding like a traditional SAM missile.
What makes the Roadrunner-M unique is that if it launches but misses an enemy, it can return to a vertical landing (like a Space-X rocket) to refuel and be used again. This reduces costs compared to missiles that cannot do the same.
According to Anduril, their anti-drone system is cheaper and has better capabilities than other anti-drone systems on the market. The Roadrunner-M's operating speed and range have not been disclosed at this time. Before the Roadrunner-M, Anduril launches an Anvil that destroys other drones by doing a breach in the air. Because of its durable design, Anvil can be recycled to perform more than one mission.