Axon’s Taser Drone Idea Aims to Stop School Shootings

Axon, the maker of Tasers, police body cameras, and VR training simulations, wants to add a new buzzy product to its tech policing ecosystem: Taser Drones. While the company believes these shoebox-sized shock machines could potentially save lives during school shootings, privacy and civil liberties groups told Gizmodo they believe the drones may do more harm than good and could be used to brutally suppress protestors and other political dissidents.

Axon floated its idea in a press release this week announcing it had begun formally developing a “non-lethal, remotely-operated TASER drone system.” Rights groups take issue with Axon’s labeling of any Taser products as “non-lethal,” since research shows Tasers have led to the deaths of at least 500 people since 2010. Regardless, when its fully developed, Axon hopes its Taser drone will be capable of deploying and incapacitating an active shooter “in less than 60 seconds.”

“Today, the only viable response to a mass shooter…