US Schools Deploy Pepper-Spraying Drones at 9 Campuses as Georgia Backs Pilot With $550,000
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Jul 28
US Schools Deploy Pepper-Spraying Drones at 9 Campuses as Georgia Backs Pilot With $550,000
2 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Jul 28
Summary
Nine schools in Georgia, Florida and Colorado are preparing to install Campus Guardian Angel drones that launch after a confirmed attack alert and are meant to engage school shooters before police arrive.
The drones can be flown from thousands of miles away, stay airborne about eight minutes, fire pepper balls, ram attackers, blast sirens and even break through some windows to reach a suspect.
Georgia budgeted $550,000 for four pilot schools, while Deltona High School in Florida plans to install 39 drones for the coming school year; other sites include schools in Leon and Broward counties and one in Douglas County, Colorado.
Campus Guardian Angel says the system was adapted from small-drone tactics seen in Ukraine's war, using waves of three or four aircraft to occupy a shooter until authorized responders apprehend them.
Critics including Parkland victim's father Tony Montalto argue the technology emphasizes reaction over prevention, amid Washington Post data showing more than 398,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since Columbine.