Florida Schools to Deploy Drones That Can Stop Active Shooters

A New Kind of School Security

Three Florida school districts are about to test something that sounds like a sci-fi movie but is very real. According to The Daytona Beach News Journal, Volusia, Leon, and Broward schools were picked for a state pilot program that will put drones inside schools to follow, confront, and even disable an active shooter.

The drones come from a Texas company called Campus Guardian Angel. The Florida Department of Education made the announcement after lawmakers approved a five hundred fifty seven thousand dollar budget for the project. The goal is simple. Put something fast in the air that can reach a threat long before officers can run across campus.

Volusia County Schools said the drones will arrive in early 2026. No one has said how many drones each district will get or which schools will host the program. Still, district leaders are already calling it a big deal for student safety.

Superintendent Carmen Balgobin said school safety is her highest priority. She called the program an honor and said the district is ready to lead the way on new technology that keeps schools focused on learning instead of fear. Florida’s education commissioner, Anastasios Kamoutsas, backed her up. He said the state wants safe schools and rapid response systems.

Volusia County Sheriff Mike Chitwood also endorsed the project. He said the drones can react faster than even the quickest school resource officer and could help deputies rushing into danger.

How These Drones Work

Campus Guardian Angel drones stay inside locked boxes around the school. Each box is a charging pad that holds six drones. Staff can activate them with a silent alarm. Once launched, the drones can reach any spot on school grounds in about fifteen seconds.

Justin Marston, the company’s CEO and cofounder, says most deaths in school shootings happen in the first two minutes. That is why the drones focus on quick engagement. They stream live video straight to police and can distract or disorient a shooter with sirens, bright lights, and pepper spray pellets.

Marston told reporters the drones can even smash through glass with a punch tool to create a distraction. They can hit a suspect with enough force to knock them down. The drones are controlled remotely from an operations center in Austin, Texas. There, operators see a digital map of the school and coordinate flight paths with local law enforcement.

Marston says the drones are disposable and do not mind getting shot. In his words, they are a lump of plastic. The whole idea is to reduce risk for officers who move toward the threat.

A single drone box costs fifteen thousand dollars. Schools may need three to fifteen of them depending on the size of the campus. The company says the drones will not fly around during normal school hours. They remain inside their boxes unless an alert sends them into action.

Florida officials say these drones will not replace school resource officers. Instead, they act as an extra tool that can reach danger fast while staff and students follow lockdown procedures.

The Big Questions Everyone Is Asking

Whenever a new security system enters schools, people want answers. How safe is this? Will drones misidentify students? What happens if a drone malfunctions? And maybe the biggest question of all: should robots be allowed to attack someone on campus?

Supporters say the drones use non lethal tools and respond only when activated by trained staff. They argue that cameras already watch schools and that this system gives police a real time view during a crisis. Critics worry about accidents or overuse. Others wonder if schools should invest money in prevention efforts, mental health programs, or more physical security instead of flying robots.

Even some school officials who like the idea say they want to be careful. Kyle Kinser from Escambia County said drones sound exciting, but districts must be responsible with public funds.

Florida chose Volusia, Broward, and Leon for the first trials. If the program works and the public approves, it could spread statewide. If it raises too many concerns, the state may scrap it. Either way, the tests begin in 2026 and the whole country will be watching.

DroneXL’s Take

This is one of the boldest school safety experiments we have ever seen. Drones that sprint across campus, punch through windows, and fire pepper pellets will raise plenty of debate. Some parents will love the quick response. Others will worry about mistakes or heavy tech inside schools. Still, with school shootings at historic levels, new tools are getting attention. We expect more districts to explore fast drone response systems in the coming years, even if this program faces bumps along the way.

Photo credit: Campus Guardian Angel