How do you catch a drone? With an even BIGGER drone and a giant net. The drone squad is part of Tokyo police’s riot squad – drones capture flying device with a net if operator doesn’t comply to orders.
Tokyo police have put together the nation’s first drone squad in response to a security breach earlier this year.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) will be given a fleet of net-carrying drones that will locate and capture malicious ones seen flying near public officials.
‘Terrorist attacks using drones carrying explosives are a possibility,’ a senior member of the police department’s security bureau told the Asahi Shimbun website.
‘We hope to defend the nation’s functions with the worst-case scenario in mind.’
In April 2015, a drone carrying small traces of a radioactive material landed on the roof of Japanese Prime Minister’s office in protest against the government’s nuclear energy plans.
The police and bomb squad were called after the four-propeller, 50-centimeter wide drone, was spotted by member of the Prime Minister’s staff, on the roof of his principle office and residence in Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
The device was equipped with a small camera and a plastic bottle containing small traces of a radioactive material, according to Japanese media.
The man who flew the craft was arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business and interfering with the operations of the prime minister’s office.
The drone squad, which is part of the MPD’s riot squad, will patrol important government buildings looking for suspicious drones.
If any are detected, the officer will warn the operator to ground their craft and if they refuse to comply, the officer will let their drones loose.
These elite drones will capture the rogue flying device with a net and bring it in for questioning.
‘We realize the need to adapt to the changing times and continually develop our security measures. We’ll devote every effort to defending our airspace,’ an MPD senior official said.
The launch of the drone squad follows an amendment to Japan’s Civil Aeronautics Law that went into effect yesterday, further strengthening airspace security.
The law prohibits drones from flying below 500 feet, compared to 400 feet in the U.S. and U.K., and also bans drones that larger than 200g from highly populated residential areas, specifically Tokyo.
The recent ban also requires operators keep their crafts at least 98 feet away from people, buildings and cars.
Masahiro Kobayashi, an Osaka-based lawyer who specializes in drones and robotics, said some of the new rules are welcome, as the biggest fear raised by experts so far has been the possibility of unmanned aircraft coming too close to commercial airplanes.
He noted the restrictions are too severe and will hinder the promotion of drone-related industries in the future.
‘The biggest impact will be felt by hobbyists, because they will have to obtain approval from the government more than 15 days before the planned flights,’ said Kobayashi.
The law says requests for approval must be sent by postal mail to the ministry 10 working days beforehand, which in practice means up to 15 calendar days in advance.
‘Children and adolescents will no longer be given the option to say, ‘Let’s fly a toy drone next Sunday because the weather looks good.’
‘Adults with cars can drive to the countryside and fly drones in non-restricted areas, but children will not have that option.’
Source: YouTube