Dutch Police Hire Eagles to Take Down Drones

Humans have been working with birds for thousands of years: We’ve hired them to carry our messages, help us find honey, protect our crops, and even act as spies. So it only makes sense that when the people of the Netherlands began to worry about catching rogue drones, they turned to their avian friends for help. Back in February, we reported that the Dutch police were training eagles to pluck illegal drones from the sky. Now, The Next Web reports, the eagle trial and training program is complete, and the birds are finally taking to the skies.

Dutch police will use the highly skilled eagles to tackle rogue drones that pose a security threat. For instance, if police spot a dangerous-looking drone when a politician is making a public appearance, protocol will be to move the politician safely inside, then release an eagle to take down the robot. After a seven-month training period conducted with help from Guard From Above, Dutch police are now so confident in the abilities of their eagle enforcers, they’ve started purchasing eagle chicks, which they will train from infancy.

"It's a low-tech solution to a high-tech problem," police spokesman Dennis Janus told AFP during a public demonstration. "The eagles see the drones as prey and intercept them as they are flying, before landing where they feel safe with the drone still in their claws."

To see one of the impressive take-downs, check out the video below.

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