Soldiers have been taking aim with a new scope that uses artificial intelligence (AI) to shoot drones out of the sky.

Paratroopers from 16 Air Assault Brigade in Colchester, became the first to be issued with SmartShooter SMASH technology this week.

The Ministry of Defence said it gave soldiers on the ground a "high probability" of shooting down targets.

They have been trained on how to use the new tech this week.

The SmartShooter used image processing software to detect "un-crewed air systems" in the scope's field of view, before it targeted, tracked and predicted its movement.

The rifle - of which the technology was mounted to - would only be permitted to fire when it was aligned to hit.

WO Joe Cooke, who runs the brigade's small arms training, said the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East have shown the threat and capabilities of drones.

"Our current option to target a drone is to just shoot at it, and they are small and mobile targets that are very hard to hit," he said.

"We've got medics and signallers on this course who, because of their role, don't use their rifles as much as infantry and they are shooting with an accuracy that they have never achieved before."

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