Drone response demonstrated at Champion

Officials say aerial surveillance, assistance helps avert tragedy

A demonstration Friday at Boerne Champion High School showed attendees how rapidly drones can intercede in critical incidents — including school shootings.

The presentation hosted by Campus Guardian Angel, a company that works to assist in dire situations, highlighted the cooperation between the school, the Boerne Police Department and the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office in the event of an emergency.

The Boerne Independent School District is reviewing whether to use the drones, officials said. If the program is approved, company founder Justin Marston said Champion would have an estimated 60 drones at the ready.

“This helps reduce those risks. Eradicating school shootings is the goal.”

—Justin Marston, Campus Guardian Angel Drones offer responses to critical situations in just seconds, Marston said as he walked through other features of the program to invited media on Friday.

One central feature includes a 3D map of the school, so in the case of an active shooter, the pilots for the drones would be aware of what areas to check.

“This is a game changer,” Marston said, adding drone aerial surveys help the school identify any vulnerabilities. “The shooting in Uvalde is an example we use often to show why quick responses are important.”

He referenced the mass shooting May 24, 2022, at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde that claimed the lives of 19 students, two teachers, the gunman and left 21 others injured. It took 77 minutes before lawmen killed the shooter.

According to Marston, most deaths occur within the first 120 seconds of an attack.

He added the drones offer an instant response, providing non-lethal tactics, shooting pepper-ball pellets or ramming into the shooter, while other drones would provide live communication with the school resource officer, or SRO, and responding law enforcement officials.

The drones are also built to be able to go through glass, if necessary, to maintain a “threat tracker” on the shooter.

The program also comes with an app for teachers to go live on video or text with a member of the offsite Campus Guardian Angel team.

The app includes three status updates: I heard a gunshot; I saw a person with a gun; I am in the room with the shooter.

Part of the response process allows a drone to work with the SRO to respond to the shooter and lock down the school. A feature of the program includes integration with the school’s panic buttons and cameras.

The drones can fly up to 40 miles an hour down a hallway, clearing classrooms in seconds.

“The FBI’s date shows us that 50% of school shootings result in (a law enforcement official) being shot,” Marston said. “This helps reduce those risks. Eradicating school shootings is the goal.”

Boerne ISD spokeswoman Maggie Dominguez said there is no official timeline to implement Campus Guardian Angel’s system at Champion, but the company is in talks with another high school in the Boerne area about placing the program in both schools.