U.S. Schools to Deploy Pepper-Spray Drones Against Active Shooters

Schools in at least three U.S. states—Florida, Georgia, and Colorado—will be equipped with nonlethal drones designed to counter active shooters. The plastic aircraft, made by Austin-based Mithril Defense, are stored in boxes and can be activated by teachers. Once deployed, they can reach a shooter within 15 seconds, using strobe lights, sirens, pepper gel spray, or physical ramming at 60 mph to distract and incapacitate the threat. At least nine schools are participating in the experiment, which aims to provide a rapid response tool for school safety. The article, originally published by the Washington Post and summarized on Marginal Revolution, highlights the growing trend of using drone technology for domestic security in response to local crime concerns.