what is a gnat?

Basically it’s an airplane just like the ones the big boys in the military use for target practice, but much smaller and specifically designed to be shot at with shotguns.

Imagine it. After a session of shooting conventional clays, a nippy little target plane comes zipping in from the right, shows a flash of belly as it jinks and pulls up into a steep climbing turn. The guns bark and a hit from an ace shot sets off a pyrotechnic charge onboard the aircraft. A huge cheer goes up as the guns reload for another teasing pass, followed by another and another until either the time is up, or the unfortunate target is downed by the sheer fire power.

Once you have shot at the Gnats, plain old clays will seem, well...a little dull.

The ATS Gnat has been hugely popular in the UK for many years, and has featured in events such as high profile celebrity charity shoots held at most of Britain's most famous shooting grounds, to private parties at country estates. The Gnat Shooting System is unique. Shotgun events normally involve the downing of conventional targets such as clay pigeons or game. We have perfected a high speed, maneuverable, radio controlled drone which takes the sport to the next level.

The aircraft flies at speeds of up to 80 mph, with extremely rapid directional changes and fighter like agility. Controlled by very experienced "pilots", the shooters prey is probably one of the hardest targets they will ever encounter.

Should the competitors out-skill the Gnat pilots, and hit the aircraft, they are rewarded with a pyrotechnic explosion from one of the 10 "flash pods" attached to the wing. Should more than three pods be struck at the same time, the force can dramatically down the aircraft.