Schools Using a New Tool Against Shooters

Drones that can shatter glass, blast sirens, and spray pepper gel are headed into school hallways in at least three states. Nine schools in Florida, Georgia, and Colorado will this year debut the nonlethal "Campus Guardian Angel" systems made by Austin-based Mithril Defense, the Washington Post reports. The company is also pitching the technology to other states, including Arkansas. Teachers can trigger the drones via an app or panic button; company pilots then steer them toward a suspected attacker, aiming to reach a threat in about 15 seconds.

The drones can fly up to 50mph inside a school and 100mph outside, with the potential to knock over targets, the Current reports. The company says the drones can also confirm a shooter's identity, communicate with staff and students via a speaker, and clear rooms for police. The tech arrives amid a booming school-security industry and long-running debate over how to stop campus shootings. Supporters, including state lawmakers backing roughly $1 million in pilot funding, say drones could buy time in those critical first minutes. Critics warn of misidentification, potential harm to fleeing students or police, and argue that prevention—not high-tech response gear—should get priority in strained school budgets.