Eagles could be used to guard prisons from drone smugglers

BIRDS of prey could be deployed to intercept drones being used to smuggle drugs, weapons and other contraband into prisons.

Prisons Minister Sam Gyimah said eagles could be recruited to take down the remotecontrolled aircraft.

Figures released under freedom of information laws revealed the hi-tech devices crash-landed in prisons in England and Wales 33 times last year – up from two in 2014 and none in 2013.

But the true scale of the problem is believed to be much greater, with prison chiefs saying that for every drone that fails, as many as nine get through.

Mr Gyimah said he was keeping a ‘close eye’ on tactics in Holland, where police use eagles to tackle the problem.

He told MPs: ‘The new threat by drones is a game changer, not just for prisons but other parts of government.

‘I’m working with ministers across the Government to engage with drone manufacturers to find a solution. I’m keeping a close eye on what is happening internationally, particularly in Holland where they are using eagles to stop drones, and I’m sure we will find a solution in the UK which will take off.’

Dutch police spokesman Dennis Janus said: ‘It’s a low-tech solution to a hi-tech problem. The eagles see the drones as prey and intercept them.’

But bird-watcher Bill Oddie rubbished the idea, saying: ‘I can’t see why any bird of prey would suddenly think, “Oh, I wonder what that is? I’ll go and eat a drone this morning instead of something else”. It doesn’t make any sense at all to me.’