Drones are coming to Broward, Leon and Volusia schools in a new pilot program

Broward, Leon and Volusia Public School Districts are tapped for a new pilot program to test using drones in active shooter situations, state officials said Monday.

Florida’s Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas announced that three districts are testing drones that will provide real-time audio and video feeds to security and law enforcement during potential threats on school campuses.

“Florida remains the national leader in school safety because we continue to invest in solutions that protect students and support a rapid, coordinated response,” he said in a statement. “The Guardian Angel Program is an important step in expanding the safety tools available to our districts. I thank Gov. (Ron) DeSantis for driving these efforts forward and ensuring our schools have the resources they need.”

The drone pilot program will be connected to Alyssa Alert, which are silent panic alarms directly linked to law enforcement, the state added.

The non-lethal drones have several tactics to confront a shooter, from sirens,  lights and loudspeakers to command suspects to surrender, News4JAX reported.

The Florida lawmakers budgeted $557,000 for the pilot school drone program.

School leaders representing the three districts said the new technology will help them keep students safe.

“The integration of the Guardian Angel Program will strengthen our ability to respond swiftly and decisively in the event of a threat,” said Howard Hepburn, Superintendent of Broward County Public Schools.

Added Laurie Cox, Chair of the Leon County School Board, the drones are  “another layer of protection that enhances rapid response, real-time awareness and coordinated action.”

DeSantis’ administration touted that Florida has “made historic and sustained investments in school safety with more than $1.3 billion dedicated to strengthening campus security.”

But some school officials have also said they are still being forced to make tough choices and are struggling to fund security as they deal with significant enrollment losses due to students opting for taxpayer-funded private school vouchers. In Orange County Schools, for instance, school officials debated whether to hire guardians this year instead of school resource officers from local law enforcement agencies to protect students.