Well, you must be wondering what the relationship is between air ambulances, drones and eagles. Going by the new Dutch experiment, they have a lot to do with each other.
Air ambulance drones in emergency medical care have been a promising development. However, there is another breed of drones that has been problematic.
Recreational drones, especially in countries like the United States, have, in recent times, been a major menace to rescue operations involving aircrafts. The fact that these are cheap and can be owned by just about anyone has worsened the situation. There are regulations that govern flying drones but we’ve seen that they are routinely violated and confiscating these cheap drones has also been an ineffective solution. The Dutch have now come up with an “instinctive” method to bring down such menacing drones.
Eagles to Help Air Ambulances and Bring Down Drones
Like most police departments of the world, the Dutch police have also been trying to tackle the drone menace effectively and have come up with the idea of using eagles in their endeavor. Tactics such as using radio interference and large nets have been used before, but they have been with risks. The biggest risk is always the chance of a drone going awry and injuring people. With “intelligent” eagles, the possibility of this is almost zero.
Eagles can improvise and change tactics mid air to catch the drones. They don’t need much training as their instincts and body structure are designed by nature to hunt prey while flying. The Dutch police have sought help from a raptor training company in Hague called the Guards from Above for this purpose.
There are a Few Concerns that Still Exist
The biggest concern is the health of the eagles. While these eagles can effortlessly bring down small drones, the larger drones pose a threat to these avian creatures. The chance of serious laceration and even amputation exists. For this reason, the Dutch are looking at protective gear to cover the claws of the eagles. Research is on in this regard. It is hoped that a solution is soon found so that air ambulances around the world can breathe free of the drone threat.
