Technology

I predict the first kid to get pepper-sprayed will be Black.

Anything but regulate guns, making mental health ressources more accessible or punish bullying.

This normalizes policing by machines, controlled by faceless people who will be shielded against consequences just like cops are shielded now. Drones don't have a face, a name or an personell number. If something happens (and it will), you can't even point your finger on the guilty party anymore. It also shields those controllers from any social backlash they would get if they would hurt someone in person.

Why not solve the gun problem?

The drones can remain airborne for about eight minutes on a single battery charge

1. Hear drone
2. Hide for 8 minutes
3. Drone evaded

That’s the most American “solution” to the most American of problems.

In 5 years we can automate school shootings and put real shooters out of a job.

Something tells me thry won't be using them specifically for school shootings.

So they just need to wear non-vented goggles and a filtered mask. Now they have easy targets who are blinded by the pepper spray to which they are immune.

What could go wrong?

Maybe it's just my inner gamer talking, but isn't the kid doing the school shooting just going to shoot down the drone for bonus points?

Anything but gun regulation

Nation of psychopaths. Just control guns FFS.

so now the kids will have to run and hide while blind and in pain

Some bored kid in robotics class is gonna hack a drone and spray a bunch unsuspecting classmates one day.

Just like fighting gym leader Brock with Charmander.

The US is such a backwards place.

Guy 1: "Uhhh, too many people are shooting up schools with guns. What can we do about that?"

Guy 2: "I know a guy who knows a guy who can make a drone that shoots pepperballs. We can also install bulletproof doors that lock from the inside and get some armed guards to patrol the kindergarden."

Guy 3: "What if we enact some reasonable gun laws?"

Guy 1 and 2: "Ba-ha-ha-ha. Fuck off, commie. Jesus gave all'ya'all these guns. Why do you hate Jesus?"

I'm sure this won't be abused at allllll.

This well be used on students. Mark my words.

Everything but regulate guns

Why not give the drone a gun?

Just wait until the school nerd learns to hack them and sends them after the school bully quarterback.

I thought this was the onion

Cool, so some fucker from thousands of miles away can control a drone with "less" lethal rounds and explosions. What could possibly go wrong!?

1. School during a lockdown is a perfect place for a high-speed wheeled vehicle.

2. Anything but regulate guns

3. Why not a flash bang? No really, what's the risk?

4. Wouldn't this be a police tool?

Beginning to normalize armed drones starting in schools. All part of the police state agenda. Do not fear citizen, we see everything.

Fucking LOL.

Let's make school shootings even more confusing by making sure both victims and shooter(s) are all grouped together on the ground screaming about the waeaponized capsacin in their eyes.

Cops in Texas are going to have to explain why they mowed down multiple innocents simply because they couldn't figure out who the shooter was in a sea of kids screaming about getting pepper sprayed after almost getting shot.

This will not end well. It will end with more dead kids not less.

Treating symptoms, the 1954874th.

@return2ozma

If the reasons for school shootings, in some cases is bullying, perhaps schools need to do MORE to create a school community that is more inclisive, respectful and welcoming to all. However we also need to build up resilience in people, as not everyone is going to treat you nicely all the time, and we need to, in some cases have thicker skin and the ability to say NO and STOP to people in such a way that they then STOP.

Drones are an effective tool on an open battle field; but they operate under wildly different conditions. Wide open spaces and short contacts (find target, ram to explode. They don't have to loiter and maintain that contact).

A pepper spray equipped drone in a school??? Tight enclosed spaces with halls and doorways (that are usually closed) you've got to navigate. Quad copters are loud, and that'd be amplified by that enclosed space. Without sufficient distance to keep out of reach they'd be an easy target to take down by the assailant. To use the spray, you'd have to get near, deploy it, and escape before being struck down; giving the spray to the assailant to harvest and use.

AND they've only got 8min of flight time.

I can't think of anything more American than weapon-carrying drones being deployed to combat armed attackers in schools.