The increased presence of drones is cause for concern for firefighters and air traffic controllers to law enforcement. In response to these growing concerns, the Netherlands' national police have taken a unique step to solve the problem – they have aligned themselves with the bald eagle.
In conjunction with Guard From Above (GFA), a raptor-training security firm, Dutch police hope to minimize the drone risk in the sky by using eagles and other birds to take them out using this low-tech solution. The training will be conducted by Ben de Keijzer, the chief operating officer of GFA who has a background in bird-handling and training.
"The drones are pretty much the size of a bird of prey, so smaller birds on the ground aren't likely to mob a bird of prey when it's flying – but larger birds are, especially when it's around their nests," said the National Audubon Society's Geoff LeBaron, who has witnessed this behavior in barnacle geese as well as raptors like ospreys. "The birds of prey are having an aggressive interaction to defend their territory from another bird of prey."
LeBaron, who has tracked U.S. bird populations, claims that birds have the ability to attack and take out drones without hurting themselves.
"What I find fascinating is that birds can hit the drone in such a way that they don't get injured by the rotors," he said. "They seem to be whacking the drone right in the center so they don't get hit; they have incredible visual acuity and they can probably actually see the rotors."
Their effectiveness lies in their four powerful toes located on each foot, which are strong enough to grip and carry heavier objects, according to Engadget. However, law enforcement is still looking into ways of protecting the birds, as there is still the possibility of damage being done.
Eagles aren't the only animals whose instincts push them to take down drones - gorillas, geese and dogs have also shown similar behavior, according to The Verge.
