Vice Defense Minister Lee Doo-hee, right, visits the 72nd Infantry Division in Yangju, Gyeonggi Province, Tuesday, to inspect drone-operating drills by reserve forces. Yonhap

The state arms procurement agency said Friday it has launched an interceptor drone development project to better respond to "suicide drones" changing the modern warfare landscape.

Under the project, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) seeks to develop interceptor drone systems aimed at detecting and physically colliding with an enemy suicide drone.

The envisioned drone systems will be capable of detecting targets through an infrared search-and-track system and using a hard-kill method to intercept them.

Through the project, DAPA plans to test its capabilities to respond to medium-sized suicide drones infiltrating at low altitude while bypassing low-altitude air defense systems. It will also review the potential for mass development of the weapons systems as a cost-effective means.