The United Kingdom's Metropolitan Police are mulling the use of eagles to fight drones in the war against terrorism amid fears that extremists are increasingly turning to advanced technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to carry out attacks.
The new plan was inspired by a YouTube video showing a drone getting snatched by an eagle trained by the Dutch police. It purportedly piqued the interest of Met Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe.
"As would be expected in an organisation that is transforming we take an interest in all innovative new ideas and will of course be looking at the work of the Dutch police use of eagles," a Met Police spokesperson told the Daily Mail. "It's just part of modern policing. We keep a view on what's going to work in the UK by looking around the World and in Europe."
Law enforcement officials are struggling to address and regulate the use of drones in the U.K. In apprehending suspicious looking drones in the past, for instance, helicopters and the life of their passengers were threatened, according to the U.K.'s Civil Aviation Authority. This is critical since the U.K. Air Proximity Board has reported at least four near-miss terrorist attacks at airports last month alone, according to BBC News. The use of eagles is expected to make the job easier, as the birds see drones as their prey.
"They seem to be whacking the drone right in the centre so they don't get hit - they have incredible visual acuity and they can probably actually see the rotors," Geoff LeBaron, the National Audubon Society spokesperson, told The Guardian.
Watch an eagle snatch a drone in the video below:
WATCH how this eagle intercepts a drone mid-air. The bird was trained by Dutch police.https://t.co/qCAZIPh9PE
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) February 8, 2016
