Florida Lawmakers Add $564,500 to School Drone Program, Lifting 2-Year Funding Above $1.1 Million
Updated
Updated · WJXT News4JAX · Jul 27
Florida Lawmakers Add $564,500 to School Drone Program, Lifting 2-Year Funding Above $1.1 Million
1 articles · Updated · WJXT News4JAX · Jul 27
Summary
$564,500 in Florida’s 2026-27 budget brings state funding for the Campus Guardian Angel school drone program to more than $1.1 million over two years, after $557,000 approved last year.
Campus Guardian Angel says ceiling-housed drones can launch in five seconds, reach a shooter in 15 seconds and use lights, cameras, speakers and pepper spray to disrupt or incapacitate within 60 seconds.
The system is already deployed in schools in Brevard, Leon and Volusia counties, with 30 to 60 drones per campus, but the Department of Education has not said whether the new money will expand it or deepen existing use.
Supporters cite repeated simulated testing and an independent University of Florida study in progress, while critics note the technology has never been used in a real active-shooter incident and its live effectiveness remains unproven.
As rapid-response drones expand to classrooms nationwide, could these remote-controlled machines actually interfere with police and escalate a deadly crisis?
With schools deploying pepper-spray drones, who takes the blame if remote pilots accidentally target innocent bystanders during a chaotic emergency?