Axon is the most popular weapons producer and manufacturer for its products. The Taser introduced a plan to manufacture a taser drone. By Axon’s announcement, the company said that it intended for its taser-equipped drones to be used for real-time surveillance to stop mass shootings, which was not long after a string of major mass shootings including a grocery store in Buffalo, New York , and at a school in Uvalde, Texas. But perhaps, it was not a good time as Axon shifted directions and pause on other plans after major pushback. A significant part of such pushback around the speedy drone came from the organization’s ethics board from which nine members of the Axon Al Ethics Board said they will give resignation in light of the product launch announcement.
Here is a statement given by the departing Board Members, “ We feel desperate and we need to do something to address our epidemic of mass shootings”.But Axon’s proposal to elevate a tech and policing response when there are less harmful alternatives is not the solution”. Taser drones would rely on pervasive real-time surveillance, this statement is also noted by the Board members.
It is said to be a non-lethal weapon drone introduced by Axon CEO and the founder RICK SMITH on the 2nd of June where Smith suggested that this kind of non-lethal weapon would be installed and operated in schools, colleges, organizations and other venues where it will necessary to use. That’s like firing a weapon to incapacitate the shooter.
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Detail About Board Of Members
Let’s discuss the Board members. There are thirteen members on the board of which nine members opted to resign. Members of the Axon Al Ethics are experts in computer science, law enforcement, Artificial intelligence (AI), privacy, civil liberties, and public policy. As per resigning board of members, they had a clear concept regarding an armed drone more than a year before.
Here is a list showing nine members who chose to resign and left the board.
- Miles Brundage
- Wael Abd-Almageed
- Ryan Calo
- Chris Harris
- Danielle Citron
- Mecole McBride
- Jennifer Lynch
- Rebekah Delsol
- Barry Friedman
The speaker at the NYU School of Law Policing Project said,” The company recommended offering the drone to the department of police as the best tool and avoid a police officer using a firearm and also saving a life potentially.’’ Further, the board showed positive concerns over how the drone can be misused, also escalate the use of force by the police and disproportionately defacement overpoliced communities.
Axon decided to go against its “strenuous objections” instead of opting to continue the project. There is another piece of news the country has already seen a minimum of 246 mass shootings according to the Gun Violence Archive, a group that tracks mass shootings. In April 20222, drones were used in coincidence with the War in Ukraine—where DJI issued a strongly worded statement making it clear that DJI opposes military use of their products.
We would like to express here statement words. ”We wish to reiterate a position that we have for a long time our products are produced to improve people’s lives and are beneficial for all around the world and yes, we deplore any use of our products o cause harm and danger to others. The thing is DJI products are only for civilian use, not designed for military applications.
DJI said that they terminate relationships with any of the sellers, distributors, or business partners, selling DJI products to customers who plan to use them for military purposes and help to modify products. Particularly here are some important points mentioned about DJI that must be addressed.
- DJI Technology company does not sell or market our products for military use
- It has unequivocally opposed attempts to attach weapons to our products
- It doesn’t provide after-sale services that have been identified as being used for military purposes
- DJI has refused to customize and enable modifications of products for military use
