Are drones an innovative way to stop school shootings—or costly, unproven security theater?
Fewer than 10 schools in Florida and Georgia will test the idea as early as this school year, funding the technology through grants approved by their state legislatures, Education Week reported in May.
The drones are stationed in ballistic boxes throughout school hallways. The craft are about the size of a pizza and designed to distract attackers by emitting high-pitched chirping noises, shooting nonlethal pepper balls, and even ramming into suspects at high speeds.
In the event of an emergency, trained drone pilots employed by Campus Guardian Angel would operate them remotely from the start-up company’s Austin, Texas, headquarters, using onboard cameras and digital maps to help navigate school hallways while educators wait for law enforcement to respond to the scene.
While some state and federal lawmakers have been receptive to the pitch, school safety experts have criticized the strategy. Real active shooter situations are much more unpredictable than staged demonstrations, they caution. And drones have limitations, like the inability to navigate past closed doors.
Freelance photographer Micah Green followed representatives of Campus Guardian Angel as they demonstrated the technology at the Florida Association of School Resource Officers conference July 22.
