Schools Roll Out Armed System To Stop Shooters As Districts Bypass Old Rules

School districts in Florida and Georgia are adopting a “revolutionary” security system that aims to stop mass shooters by deploying drones that can spray pepper gel, which can stick to and incapacitate a target.

The drones, created by Mithril Defense and known as “Black Arrows,” are part of a system called Campus Guardian Angel. The technology is being tested in several schools, with additional districts expressing interest.

The drones are equipped to emit disorienting lights and sounds, spray pepper gel, and collide with a suspected shooter. They are operated remotely by trained pilots in Austin, Texas, who can guide the drones using live video feeds. 

After a threat is reported, multiple drones can be deployed within seconds, transmitting real-time footage to both operators and local law enforcement. The Black Arrow drones can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour, the manufacturer said.

“We can take every corner, we’ll swing every door first, because we don’t care if we get shot, we’re metal and plastic,” Christian Van Sloun, Mithril’s chief drone pilot, told The Wall Street Journal. 

Officials in Volusia County, Florida, described the system as a potential shift in school security strategy.

“It’s revolutionary,” Florida’s Volusia County Sheriff’s Office Captain Todd Smith told The Wall Street Journal. “This is the future.”

More than $500,000 in funding has been allocated for drone use in school districts in Florida and Georgia. An installation is underway at Deltona High School in Florida. Some parents have expressed cautious support.

“To find out that we’re one of the first ones to get this pilot program was a little nerve-racking at first,” parent Jessica Clayton told The Journal. “But at the same time, you have to start somewhere, and I’m hoping this can be a positive influence for the community.”

Mithril believes its drone technology will reduce response times and improve safety in active-shooter situations. 

“Our vision is ultimately to be in every school in the nation and to eradicate mass shootings,” Mithril co-founder Billy Marston told The Journal. “We believe we can help in the vast majority of these mass shootings.”