Eagles Go Hunting for Drones

The Dutch police are seeking creative ways to gather drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) that may pose a threat to public safety. Their latest solution is training eagles to hunt these small aircraft. According to Reuters, the central police of the Netherlands states that this is a traditional solution to a modern problem. The use of drones by amateur individuals in the Netherlands is on the rise, and the police are concerned about the dangers these aircraft may pose in public spaces such as airport grounds or military areas. The Dutch police are considering solutions such as shooting down these drones, hacking them remotely, and using birds to bring them down. One official from the central police of the Netherlands says that people think we (by saying that eagles will come to our aid) have a trick up our sleeve, but the reality is that this method is very effective. The Dutch police have released a video showing four drones flying over a factory with their flashing lights on. When the police eagle is released from its handler's hands, it quickly flies towards these aircraft and captures them with its talons in a fraction of a second, bringing them down to the ground. The official from the company collaborating with the Dutch police in this operation states that these eagles need to be trained to view drones as prey. After bringing each one down, they are rewarded with a piece of meat. According to officials, the talons of these eagles are strong enough to bring down drones without causing any damage. 'These birds are used to facing resistance from their prey in the air, so the weight or flight of the drones is not a problem for them.' There are two major issues regarding the final implementation of this idea: a lot of drones need to be destroyed to train these eagles, which is very costly, and the officials still do not know how these eagles will perform in crowded spaces. The Dutch police will decide by the end of this year whether they want to adopt this idea or not.