The Dutch National Police Force may enlist eagles to help take out illegal drones during emergencies.
Police paired up with a raptor training company Guard from Above to train an eagle to recognize, capture and transport a drone with their talons, as part of efforts to simplify anti-drone defenses. The strategy would use eagles to combat drones in situations when it could be too dangerous to use more common intercept methods, such as police drones fitted with nets.
The above video shows a demonstration of the eagle’s work, the National Police said in a statement. The force is also exploring nets as an option, but trained eagles would give them more control over where the captured drones are taken. They will decide upon adopting the program within a few months.
More Must-Reads From TIME
- The 100 Most Influential People of 2024
- The Revolution of Yulia Navalnaya
- 6 Compliments That Land Every Time
- What's the Deal With the Bitcoin Halving?
- If You're Dating Right Now , You're Brave: Column
- The AI That Could Heal a Divided Internet
- Fallout Is a Brilliant Model for the Future of Video Game Adaptations
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time
Write to Julia Zorthian at julia.zorthian@time.com