Florida is set to become among the first states in the country to test cutting-edge drone technology designed to stop school shooters before they can kill. The state has approved $557,000 for a pilot program three school districts, marking a significant shift in how schools might respond to active shooter situations.
The technology, developed by Campus Guardian Angel, a Texas-based start-up, uses professional drone pilots operating from a command center in Austin, Texas. The drones would be deployed within seconds of a school shooting alert. The system aims to distract, disorient or physically stop a shooter while buying crucial time for first responders.
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Inside the TX start-up bringing drones to Florida schools to stop school shootings
“Most of the death happens in the first two minutes,” said Justin Marston, a cyber security expert and CEOP Campus Guardian Angel. “So the challenge was, how do you get something that’s instantaneous but elite and still affordable?”
Marston said he came up with the idea after observing the effectiveness of small drones against armed individuals in Ukraine, combined with analyzing mass shootings like those at Parkland and Uvalde.
We feel in both of those, we could have engaged the shooter ahead of time, he told Investigative Reporter Katie LaGrone.LaGrone recently visited the companys headquarters in Austin.
Military-Style command center
The operation runs from what looks like a U.S. military command center, complete with multiple screens and a team of 11 specialists. Former Navy SEAL Bill King, who piloted Predator drones for the U.S. military overseas, is the co-founder of the company and is helping to lead drone operations.
“We are leaning so far forward that only one pilot can go to the bathroom at a time,” King said. “Because if we’re going to make a decision in five seconds.”
The command center is set up to maintain a constant state of readiness with four pilots positioned on either side of the room and a commander in the center coordinating operations.A threat track will also be in position along with liaisons whose focus will be communication with locals on the ground, according to King.
How the technology works
Schools would be equipped with dozens of drones stored in strategic locations around campus. When an alert is triggered, encrypted drones designed for low delay are deployed within seconds by professional pilots controlling the devices remotely from Austin.
The companys anticipated timeline for engaging a shooter is precise: within five seconds, the drones are deployed; within 15 seconds, they’ve engaged the shooter; and within one minute, they’ve taken the shooter down.
“We have some that are dedicated to window breaking. So, we can essentially pick which drone we want to use and go after them,” said Mason Lively, a 25-year-old professional drone pilot and world champion drone racer recruited for the program.
For Lively, joining Campus Guardian Angel was personal. He graduated high school in 2018 and grew up in Melbourne, Florida, with connections to the Parkland community.
“I had friends of friends that went to Parkland, so I was very aware of that, and very aware of what happened there and then, when they talked about what they were going to do here, that’s a big reason why I came up,” Lively said.
Despite the high-stakes nature of the work, Lively said he is ready and relies on preparation and constant training to manage his nerves about going into action once the program is up and running in schools.
I feel like once were in the scenario, were going to be ready to go.The nerves will disappear, and it will be just like any other event that we do, he said.
Non-lethal distractors
The drones are designed to employ various non-lethal distraction methods, from flashing lights and loud sirens to pellet bangs. If necessary, the pilots can physically engage a shooter by flying the drone into the shooter.
In a demonstration on site, the pilot knocked down a dummy after it was struck head on.Its like a baseball bat, so it will hurt but not be lethal, explained Lively.Other drones are designed to smash windows to further create a distraction.
“If we can get a shooter to do anything besides shoot people, we’re winning,” King said. “If you’re shooting at the drone, great. We love that if you’re trying to hit the drone with a broomstick, great. We love that if you’re running from the drones, perfect.”
The goal is to buy time for first responders and guide them to the shooter’s exact location.
Florida’s school shooting crisis
According to the K-12 School Shooting Database, Florida has reported among the most school shootings since the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Doughlas High School in Parkland, FL.
To stop future shootings, Florida lawmakers approved a total of $557,000 in state funding for the drone pilot program during the last legislative session.
While drones are expected to also launch at schools in Colorado, Virginia and Texas, Florida is the first state to approve state funding for the technology. Floridas Department of Education has not yet announced which three school districts will participate in the pilot program, but an announcement is expected before the end of the month, according to a spokesperson with Campus Guardian Angel.
King and Marston said among the most powerful voices theyve heard in support of their drones came from Parland parent, Max Schacter whose 17-year-old son, Alex, was among the victims in Parkland.
“The first time we showed it to him, he’s like, I have seen a lot of stuff since my son died. This is the only thing I’ve seen that could have saved his life,” King said.
King described the endorsement as meaningful to the team’s mission.
“I mean, that’s what we want to do,” King said. “The best feeling in the world is to rescue hostage. That’s what we’re going to do here.”
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