FLORIDA — Three Florida school districts will participate in the Campus Guardian Angel Program to test drone technology designed to stop school shooters before they can kill.
On Monday, Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas announced three school districts, Broward, Leon and Volusia, will participate in the new program.
The technology, developed by Campus Guardian Angel, a Texas-based startup, uses professional drone pilots operating from a command center in Austin, Texas.
The drones would be deployed within seconds of a school shooting alert and aim to distract, disorient or physically stop a shooter while buying crucial time for first responders.
Investigative reporter Katie LaGrone got a look inside the Texas startup that is now officially bringing drones to Florida schools, learning how the technology works and seeing the command center behind the drones.
“Ensuring students and teachers have a safe and secure learning environment is one of my top priorities as Commissioner. Florida remains the national leader in school safety because we continue to invest in solutions that protect students and support a rapid, coordinated response,” said Commissioner Kamoutsas.
While drones are expected to also launch at schools in Colorado, Virginia and Texas, Florida is the first state to approve state funding for the technology.
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