AI gun-detection firm ZeroEyes launches drone-based product
The Pennsylvania tech firm ZeroEyes on Wednesday announced it will begin offering a product called the ZeroEyes Aerial Detection Kit, or ZAD, drone-based software that uses AI to detect firearms and other threats.
According to the company, ZAD can integrate with law enforcement drones and software to detect firearms, people, vehicles, drones and maritime vessels. It comes with a carrying case and a ZeroEyes laptop to stream video that can be helpful to law enforcement’s drone response in a number of scenarios: event and perimeter security, armed assailants, suspect and article searches, barricaded gunmen, hostage situations and domestic disputes.
Much like the company’s land-based gun-detection software, ZAD delivers automated threat alerts to dispatch or public safety operations centers. Following an automated alert, law enforcement or security personnel can instantly view detections and then dispatch the correct resources immediately. In a news release, the company said rapid integration with drones will help quickly inform first responders or federal agencies of on-scene security threats.
“Outdoor spaces are among the most challenging environments to protect due to their size and open nature, leaving them vulnerable to unauthorized access and potential gun-related violence,” a news release reads. “ZeroEyes Aerial Detection addresses this critical need with layered advanced AI analytics that detect threats in real time through a drone’s live camera feed.”
While the company says its new technology is compliant with the National Defense Authorization Act and protected by Department of Homeland Security’s SAFETY Act designation, law enforcement use of the drones has drawn concern from advocacy groups in recent years. “Drones as first responders,” or DFR, programs have also worried advocates, who that say the programs normalize regular drone surveillance of public gatherings.
ZeroEyes’ primary product, its AI-powered gun detection software, has also come under scrutiny. While the product is used by hospitals, sports arenas and malls, the company chiefly markets to schools, billing the technology as a “proactive solution” to protect children from gun violence on public school grounds. However, the technology has triggered several false alarms that prompted law enforcement response, lockdowns and student panic. A 2023 DHS report notes that while the technology can provide a near-instantaneous alert, “it does not guarantee threat prevention.”
“Protecting outdoor spaces is one of the greatest challenges in security today,” Dustin Kisling, executive vice president of ZE Government Solutions, a subsidiary of ZeroEyes, said in the release. “With our new drone solution, we can detect potential threats in real time and provide verified alerts, giving organizations and the public the confidence that help is on the way when it matters most.”
