Oh no, you're thinking, yet another cookie pop-up. Well, sorry, it's the law. We measure how many people read us, and ensure you see relevant ads, by storing cookies on your device. If you're cool with that, hit “Accept all Cookies”. For more info and to customize your settings, hit “Customize Settings”.

Review and manage your consent

Here's an overview of our use of cookies, similar technologies and how to manage them. You can also change your choices at any time, by hitting the “Your Consent Options” link on the site's footer.

Manage Cookie Preferences
  • These cookies are strictly necessary so that you can navigate the site as normal and use all features. Without these cookies we cannot provide you with the service that you expect.

  • These cookies are used to make advertising messages more relevant to you. They perform functions like preventing the same ad from continuously reappearing, ensuring that ads are properly displayed for advertisers, and in some cases selecting advertisements that are based on your interests.

  • These cookies collect information in aggregate form to help us understand how our websites are being used. They allow us to count visits and traffic sources so that we can measure and improve the performance of our sites. If people say no to these cookies, we do not know how many people have visited and we cannot monitor performance.

See also our Cookie policy and Privacy policy.

This article is more than 1 year old

Japan unveils net-wielding police drones for air patrol

Cop copters to snag misbehaving civilian flyers

Police in Tokyo are preparing a fleet of drones to police hobbyist aircraft in the city.

According to a report from Japan Today, the Metropolitan Police Department has assembled a squad of dozens of officers who will use the police quadcopters to catch and take down unruly drones operating in unsafe or illegal conditions.

Among the techniques police will use to take violators out of the sky is large nets. The 2-3 meter nets attach to the bottom of the police drones and, when flown near the civilian craft, will hopefully snag the wayward copters' blades and safely return them to earth.

The net-equipped drones provide a novel solution to the growing problem of policing drones and enforcing laws on safe flight. Earlier this year, police in Japan were called in to investigate after a drone containing trace amounts of radioactive material landed on the roof of the Prime Minister's residence.

Japan is not the only nation looking for better ways to regulate drones and enforce aviation laws. With many first-time drone owners unaware of the laws covering safe flight, craft have been spotted flying over restricted areas such as airports or crowded sports stadiums, where civilian craft are generally prohibited from flying.

In the US, the FAA is preparing a new set of registration requirements aimed at helping police track down offending drone owners when their craft run afoul of restricted airspace or fly outside of their recommended altitudes.

Below is a video of the Japanese police drones in action. ®

Youtube Video

 

Similar topics

TIP US OFF

Send us news


Other stories you might like