Raptors vs Drones: Dutch Cops Use Eagles to Disable Rogue Drones
For centuries now, humans and animals have worked hand in hand for mutual benefits. From the taming of the wolves, using horses as a mode of transport, pigeons as messengers and now, birds of prey to neutralize rogue drones.
According to Live Science, the Dutch Law Enforcement is currently testing the use eagles on taking down illegal aerial drones. In an official statement, the police force have partnered with Guard from Above or GFA, a Dutch company that trains birds to hunt and subdue mechanical prey.
The police has released a video demonstrating an eagle's capability to hunt and subdue a hovering quad-copter drone and taking it to a corner of a training ring.
In a similar report by Spectrum, the eagles are trained to identify and capture drones. Guard from Above co-founder Sjoerd Hoogendoorn said that, "For years, the government has been looking for ways to counter the undesirable use of drones."
He added that "Sometimes a low-tech solution for a high-tech problem is more obvious than it seems. This is the case with our specially trained birds of prey. By using these birds' animal instincts, we can offer an effective solution to a new threat."
What's great about this plan is that it seems the birds of prey do not require lengthy training, as they are already adept at catching moving objects mid-air and bringing them to a safe area and away from people.
As for threats of the drones potentially hurting the bird, GFA and the Dutch Police mentioned that they are currently developing a protection system, which will prevent unnecessary harm.
Additionally, the company also mentioned that even without its interference, the eagles already have some sort of natural protection as the eagles' talons have scales that protects them. GFA said that it's still researching for additional protective measures.
With drones becoming the norm and slowly becoming accessible to anyone, using them for illegal acts is a potential that the Dutch Police is not willing to risk.
As of now, the Dutch Police Department is currently using a Golden Eagle, which is a powerful bird capable of taking on small mammals and even fighting off bears and coyotes.
The police force is still researching different approaches to neutralize drones that may interfere with helicopter flights and even cause injury to bystanders.
However, it's worth mentioning that this "Eagle Vs. Drone" movement is still on its testing phase and the police force has yet to make the birds a permanent part of its squad.
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