The world of anime has introduced us to some very curious interpretations of the Japanese police, including giant robots patrolling the streets… but this is real life, and apparently the Japanese authorities see certain things as serious threats, including drones. This has led the Tokyo police to test a high-performance interceptor drone equipped with a net, whose sole purpose is to pursue and catch other drones flying in prohibited areas.
The story goes back to last April, when a 40-year-old man landed a drone on the roof of the office of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzō Abe. What might have been considered a simple prank became a complete threat when the drone pilot (later identified as Yasuo Yamamoto) decided to load the vehicle with a small amount of radioactive sand, as a protest against the current nuclear policy of the Japanese government. The potential of drones as weapons withstands almost any analysis, but the truth is that this potential goes beyond the military. For the Tokyo police, one alert was enough, and they have got to work.
The first idea is to fight fire with fire, and that means that from the second half of December advanced tests will begin with an interceptor drone. Unlike the typical drones that we can find on the market today, the device is a high-performance hexacopter, with the ability to carry a net of three by two meters. The drone will go into action as soon as another device is detected in prohibited airspace, and it is expected that with its superior maneuverability it will be able to catch it in the air. The Tokyo police will combine the use of this drone with warnings through loudspeakers to indicate to the pilot of the invading drone that they must leave.
If the results are positive, it is very likely that from February a drone squadron will be activated, whose role will be to protect high-profile buildings, including the Imperial Palace and the aforementioned office of the prime minister. If anyone asks why the police don't just shoot the drone down, the answer is simple: No one wants a drone to fall on someone's head, especially if it is loaded with a dangerous material. The Japanese authorities have said that they operate imagining the worst-case scenario, that is, a terrorist attack based on a drone equipped with a bomb. The possibility is remote, but it exists.
