School districts in three states are beginning to use remotely operated drones designed to enter classrooms, break windows and communicate with teachers and police during an active shooter event. The drones, equipped with point‑of‑view cameras and speakerphones, aim to neutralize a threat within about a minute.
Local deployments and funding
Florida currently has drones operating in three counties, funded in part by more than $1 million in state allocations. Five schools in Georgia have received the technology after approval by the state legislature. This month the first Colorado school in a county that experienced a 2019 shooting will receive drones, and Texas districts have expressed interest in acquiring the devices.
Industry size and parental pressure
Campus Guardian Angel co‑founder and CEO Justin Marston estimates that $3 billion to $4 billion is spent each year on school‑security tools, including drones, school resource officers and metal detectors. The Urban Institute reported $2.62 billion was spent on school resource officers alone in 2023. Parents who have lost children in mass shootings are driving demand for such measures, seeking to reduce the five‑to‑eight‑minute police response window.
Other security measures and challenges
Traditional hardening methods—metal detectors, automatic door locks and surveillance cameras—have been used for years, but they are not foolproof. Recent incidents include a student bypassing a metal detector in Mobile, Alabama, and an AI gun‑detection system failing to spot a weapon in Nashville, Tennessee.
Training programs such as the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) at Texas State University continue to prepare officers for active‑shooter scenarios, emphasizing quick response times that can save lives.
Looking ahead
While drones represent a high‑tech addition to school safety, officials stress that they are only one component of a broader strategy that includes parental involvement, threat assessment and mental‑health resources. As more districts evaluate funding options, the school‑security market is expected to keep expanding.
Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
