Key facts
- Several US schools are installing pepper-spraying drones to respond to active shooter incidents.
- The drones are manufactured by Campus Guardian Angel and can be flown remotely.
- They are equipped with two-way communication, sirens, pepper launchers, and kinetic strike capabilities.
- The program is inspired by the use of drones in the Ukraine war.
- Schools in Georgia, Florida, and Colorado are among those adopting the technology.
Several U.S. schools are preparing to implement a new security measure: pepper-spraying drones designed to respond to active shooter incidents. Campus Guardian Angel, a Texas-based company, is supplying the drones to schools across Georgia, Florida, and Colorado, with plans for at least four schools in Georgia, three in Florida, and one in Colorado to adopt the technology.
The drones are designed to be deployed after an alert and confirmation of a credible threat. They can be operated remotely from thousands of miles away and feature two-way communication systems, allowing operators to verbally engage with threats or communicate with school staff and law enforcement. The company's website states this capability enables their operations center team to guide first responders to the suspect's location.
Each drone has a flight time of approximately eight minutes on a single battery charge. They are capable of breaking through non-ballistic film-coated windows and are equipped with sirens and air poppers to create loud noises. For direct engagement, the drones carry a pepper launcher for firing pepper balls at a shooter and can also deliver kinetic energy strikes to incapacitate an attacker. The company aims to use multiple drones in succession to keep a shooter occupied until law enforcement can apprehend them.
Bill King, co-founder of Campus Guardian Angel and a former senior enlisted leader for Navy Seal teams, stated that once the drones are deployed, escape is difficult. The concept was inspired by the use of small drones on the battlefields in Ukraine following Russia's invasion in February 2022, according to tactical operations director Khristof Oborski. He observed the technology's effectiveness and considered its application to address school shootings in the U.S.
Among the Georgia schools piloting the program are Coffee County High School, Gainesville High School, River Ridge High School, and Statesboro High School. The state legislature has allocated $550,000 in its budget to fund the initiative. In Florida, Deltona High School is set to install 39 drones, with Amos P. Godby High School and Boyd H. Anderson High School also expected to launch the program. John Adams Academy in Colorado is also preparing to introduce the technology, with its head, Sarah Kiesewetter, anticipating other schools will follow suit.
However, the approach has drawn criticism. Tony Montalto, whose daughter was killed in the 2018 Parkland school shooting, expressed concern that the drones are reactive rather than preventative. He emphasized the need to focus on preventing violence rather than solely on response mechanisms. Data from the Washington Post indicates that over 398,000 students have experienced gun violence at school since the 1999 Columbine High School shooting.