Can a Drone Armed With a Taser Stop a School Shooting? This Company Thinks So

pcmag.com:

What could go wrong? In a bid to stop America's mass shooting problem, one company is proposing using drones armed with tasers.  

The proposal comes from US-based Axon, which provides tasers and body cameras to police departments. In the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, which took the lives of 19 students and two teachers, the company announced(Opens in a new window) it's developing a non-lethal drone.

Axon was thin on details, but the drones promise to be capable of “incapacitating an active shooter in less than 60 seconds.” The company has already been working on “a miniaturized, lightweight” taser payload that can fit on a small drone. 

“Axon is collaborating with a variety of drone hardware providers and will make a selection later this year on final development partner(s). Functional proof of concept will be available in 2023 with a full solution ready in 2024,” the company added. 

Obviously, the thought of an armed drone patrolling schools and public buildings sounds unnerving. But Axon is indicating only an “authenticated and authorized human operator” will be able to order the drone to fire its taser. Nevertheless, the idea is already facing pushback from critics who worry the same drones could pave the way for a dystopian robot police force. 

“We will see them (the drones) flying over protests and shopping districts. We will hear news stories about police using a drone to taser someone for vandalism, petty theft, or fleeing the drone. It will not be a matter of if, but when,” says(Opens in a new window) the Electronic Frontier Foundation.

Last year, Axon’s own AI ethics advisory board also voted(Opens in a new window) against the idea of arming drones with the company’s taser equipment. The advisory