Drone Squad To Be Launched By Tokyo Police

Japanese Law Enforcement Launches Drones to Combat Other Drones 

Police aerial drones chasing down a civilian drone before capturing it in a net sounds like a scene out of the 1993 hit “Demolition Man.” The concept is not Hollywood make-believe. In Japan, the Brave-New-World-ish drama is played out daily. 

A squadron of drones used to locate and capture nuisance drones piloted by the public has been launched in Tokyo. 

“Terrorist attacks using drones armed with explosives are possible,” a member of the Japanese security bureau told Asahi Shimbun. 

“We want to defend the nation with the worst-case scenario in mind,” said Nevada federal criminal attorney Nick Wooldridge. 

The aerial law enforcement squad will patrol important buildings such as the office of the prime minister. If a suspicious drone is seen, the owner is warned through ground-based loudspeakers. If the operate doesn’t respond, law enforcement officers will fly drones equipped with nets. 

A drone loaded with a small quantity of a radioactive material landed on the roof of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe‘s office. No one was injured, and police detained a man in connection with the incident. 

A video posted on the Japanese website Jijicom shows how the law enforcement drones might work: 

https://youtu.be/-vknRo7aLhc 

Restricted Airspace 

The newest regulations came into effect on December 10 in response to the incident at   Abe’s office. 

In Japan, it is unlawful to fly drones over infrastructure like airports, densely populated areas and power plants as well as crossroads or fly over 150 meters. A ban on the use of drones is now in place in Tokyo’s 23 wards as well as all city parks.