Video: Dutch Police Train Eagles to Take Down Drones
The Dutch police have partnered with Guard From Above, a raptor training company based in The Hague, to determine whether eagles could be used as intelligent, adaptive anti-drone weapon systems.

No matter how many regulations are put in place, drones are cheap enough now that frequent misuse is becoming the norm. There’s no good way of dealing with a dangerous drone: you can jam its radios to force it to autoland, or maybe try using an even bigger drone to capture it inside a giant net like police are planning to do in Japam. In either of these cases, however, you run the risk of having the drone go completely out of control, which is even more dangerous.
Or, you can be like the Dutch National Police, and train eagles to take down drones for you.
The Dutch police have partnered with Guard From Above, a raptor training company based in The Hague, to determine whether eagles could be used as intelligent, adaptive anti-drone weapon systems. The eagles are specially trained to identify and capture drones, although from the way most birds of prey react to drones, my guess is that not a lot of training was necessary. After snatching the drone out of the sky, the eagles instinctively find a safe area away from people to land and try take a couple confused bites out of their mechanical prey before their handlers can reward them with something a little less plastic-y.
According to the Dutch Police, these tests should last a few months, at which point they’ll decide whether using the eagles in this way is an effective and appropriate means of preventing unwanted drone use, IEEE Spectrum reports.
More Technology

Cellebrite Expands Exclusive SkySafe Partnership to Deliver Immediate Drone Detection and Airspace Intelligence for Digital Investigations at Scale
By integrating SkySafe's drone detection and airspace intelligence with Cellebrite's platform, agencies can connect real-time and historical UAV flight data with mobile forensic evidence, all in one place.
Read More →
New DroneShield Report Reveals Serious Gaps in Airport, Critical Infrastructure Counter-Drone Security
Survey results, as part of “Airspace Under Pressure: A Global Assessment of Counter-UAS Readiness Across Airports and Critical Infrastructure,” indicate that 60% of organizations say they lack legal authority to act against unauthorized drones.
Read More →
CHP to Accelerate Evidence Redaction & Public Records Fulfillment Through Veritone Redact
With Veritone Redact, the California Highway Patrol can redact video, audio, and image-based evidence, reducing time spent on evidence preparation and public record requests.
Read More →
Echodyne Expands Public Safety Radar Applications Through Partnership with Axon
Echodyne has partnered with Axon to support safer and more scalable drone operations across law enforcement, homeland security, and Drone as First Responder programs globally.
Read More →
Miami Police Department Deploys Airwayz’s Overwatch Platform During FIFA World Cup Events
The deployment of Airwayz’s Overwatch airspace management platform during the FIFA World Cup demonstrates the future of airspace infrastructure for managing, securing, and coordinating complex urban airspace environments.
Read More →
How Patrolfinder Uses Data to Make Streets Safer
Law enforcement agencies have long relied on instinct and routine to optimize patrols. Patrolfinder uses data to help agencies see where officers go — and where they don’t — to improve visibility and maximize coverage.
Read More →
Crime Prevention by Merging Tech with Human Intervention
Elite Interactive Solutions tackles crime prevention with technology and human intervention, working closely with local police to provide insights when a response is needed. The key is to blend the latest in remote video monitoring, artificial intelligence, and a well-trained agent with eyes on the scene.
Read More →
Case Study Details Integration of Body-Worn Cameras with CAD
The Billerica Police Department (Massachusetts) improved transparency and accountability, sharpened evidence management, and reduced manual hours by integrating Axis Communications body-worn cameras with its Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.
Read More →
ZeroEyes Public Safety Alerts Integrates Samdesk for Real-Time Risk Detection and Awareness
ZeroEyes has integrated Samdesk into its Public Safety Alerts platform to deliver faster, verified intelligence to help organizations understand emerging risks and respond quickly.
Read More →
NJ Police Department Combines Strong Technology & Public Safety Strategy
The Fort Lee Police Department in New Jersey has modernized with Genetec Security Center, including video management, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR), and Clearance digital evidence management.
Read More →
