Sterling Ranch School Tests 60 mph Active Shooter Drones

Campus Guardian Angel drones are testing their ability to ram an active shooter at 60 mph at a new Sterling Ranch charter school.

John Adams Academy opens Aug. 24. It is the first school in Colorado to deploy the defense drones. The plan is simple: stop the shooter within the first minute of gunfire.

The drones carry pepper spray gel. They have flashing lights and blaring sounds. They can hover outside classrooms or fly into a hallway. If the system detects a shooter, it launches.

Justin Marston, CEO and founder of the Austin-based startup, says the device activates within five seconds. It steers toward the threat. It hits the attacker. It stops the gunfire.

Marston compares the technology to devices used in the war between Ukraine and Russia. He wants to bridge the gap before police arrive.

Brenda Dickhoner, a founding board member, is watching closely. Her children will attend the school next year.

“If there’s an active shooter, I want everything possible to help save the children,” Dickhoner said. “They’re meant to bridge that gap before the cops get there. Those few minutes and seconds, we know that can save dozens of kids’ lives.”

The timing is specific. The demonstration happened Aug. 5. The school opens in less than three weeks.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Lt. Derek Castellano watched the drones encircle him on the blacktop basketball court. He saw them dart skyward. He saw them cut across the court with precision.

Colorado has a long history of school violence. Columbine happened in 1999. Evergreen High School had a shooting last year. The state spends more money and attention on student safety than almost anywhere else.

Most schools rely on cameras, locked doors, and school resource officers. They run lockdown drills every year. Kids hide. They evacuate.

These drones add a kinetic element to that mix. They are not just watching. They are striking.

The technology is experimental. John Adams Academy is the pilot site in the state. It is one of several in the country testing the system.

The drones are designed to ambush. They use sound and light to disorient. They use pepper spray to incapacitate. They use speed to ram.

Marston’s goal is speed. Five seconds to activate. One minute to stop the shooter.

That is the pitch. The school will find out if it works in a real crisis. The drones are waiting for the first shot.