We know how drones are used for surveillance, target killings or in some cases to save human lives, but now a South African company known as Desert Wolf told the BBC they have received orders for their riot drone‘’Shunk’’.
The drone fires pepper spray bullets at crowds, that can tackle crowds or protesters “without endangering the lives of security staff’’.
The company’s website explains that its Shunk cotacopter drone is equipped with four high-capacity paintball barrels, each capable of firing up to 20 bullets per second. It can also fire solid plastic balls.
The website of Desert Wolf states that:
The Skunk is equipped with 4 high-capacity paint ball barrels releasing at up to 20 paint balls per second each, with 80 Pepper balls per second stopping any crowd in its tracks. Currently this drone can carry about 4,000 bullets simultaneously.
The opposition of this deadly drone is International Trade Union Confederation which is horrified with the idea of Shunk riot drone.
“This is a deeply disturbing and repugnant development and we are convinced that any reasonable government will move quickly to stop the deployment of advanced battlefield technology on workers or indeed the public involved in legitimate protests and demonstrations. ITUC would now try to identify which company had ordered the drones.” said spokesman Tim Noonan.
Desert Wolf unveiled the drone in South Africa last month.
“We will be taking this up as a matter of urgency with the unions in the mining sector globally,” he added
Desert Wolf ‘s website currently contains limited information about the drone. However, Defence Web news site has uploaded more information with the actual image of Shunk drone.
The chairman of International Committee for Robot Arms Control campaign group said he is concered about the program.
“Firing plastic balls or bullets from the air will maim and kill. Using pepper spray against a crowd of protesters is a form of torture and should not be allowed. We urgently need an investigation by the international community before these drones are used.”
The idea of using tech equipment as a source of torture is not old. In March 2014, a Texas based company CUPID developed an app controlled “stun copter” with ability of shooting 80,000 Volt Taser.
Source: BBC