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Eagles vs drones
As Scotland Yard considers using trained eagles to take down suspicious drones, the director of Clifton drone filming business CineFlite has said that it is unfortunate that professional operations are being talked of in the same breath as drones used for illegal activities.
“This is a reaction to the sudden explosion in the use of drones. It’s understandable that people are concerned,” says CineFlite director and remote pilot Sam Livingstone.
“Unfortunately, all pilots good and bad are being tarred with the same brush.”
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Police are considering the eagles as a way to combat the criminal use of drones, a practice tested by security firm Guard From Above in the Netherlands.
Criminals have already begun using drones for nefarious activities. According to the Ministry of Justice, drones have been used to break into prisons, often smuggling drugs, mobile phones and SIM cards to inmates. Remote Control Project, a London think tank, warns that terrorists and burglars could use drones to scope out their targets.
Livingstone has reservations about using live creatures to tackle unmanned flying objects.
He said: “I worry more for the eagle. Drones often have carbon fibre blades, which can do significant damage to the birds. I don’t think this is the best method.”
“If anybody sees drones that are suspicious, they should report it. The Civil Aviation Authority allows the police to manage these situations. What we don’t want is a vigilante public attacking every drone pilot they see.”
While the police are worrying about hardened criminals, Livingstone is concerned about a more innocent type of drone pilot: “There does appear to be a lot of people who received a drone for Christmas, and are flying it without any training and are unaware of the dangers. We need more education of new pilots.”
If Scotland Yard does decide to utilise feathered fighters, Livingstone doesn’t see the crime-fighting eagles as a danger to CineFlite’s business – the company always receives permission from the Civil Aviation Authority before entering the air.
Read more: Video: A drone’s eye view of Bristol
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