Florida officials are in the process of selecting school districts to participate in a new pilot program that will deploy armed drones on campus to respond to potential school shooting incidents.
The initiative, known as Campus Guardian Angel, is based in Texas and is designed to use armed drones as a rapid-response tool during active shooter situations. According to the program’s website, the drones will be stationed on-site at schools using charging pads and can be operated remotely during emergencies.
Governor Ron DeSantis approved more than $550,000 in funding for the program as part of the state’s latest budget. The Florida Department of Education is now preparing to choose three schools to begin the pilot phase.
Campus Guardian Angel claims its drones can reach any point on a high school campus in as little as eight seconds. The organization states that the drones are capable of flying at speeds of up to 50 miles per hour indoors and 100 miles per hour outside. Each school involved in the program would be equipped with multiple drone stations strategically placed to maximize response speed.
The company emphasizes that the main advantage of deploying armed drones is their ability to reduce risk to both law enforcement and students during violent incidents. The drones are designed to identify threats, clear rooms, and engage shooters with non-lethal force while officers arrive on scene.
A representative from Campus Guardian Angel told News 6 that deployment in Florida schools is expected “in the near future,” though an exact timeline has not been announced.