Axon, which manufactures a variety of Tasers under the general rubric "energy weapons," declined to make any executives available for an interview. Rick Smith, its founder and chief, said in a statement Sunday that the project's response had "provided us with a deeper appreciation of the complex and important considerations" relating to shock drones in schools and added, "I acknowledge that our passion for finding new solutions to stop mass shootings led us to move quickly to share our ideas."

A majority of Axon's AI ethics board resigned in protest yesterday, following an announcement last week that the company planned to equip drones with Tasers and cameras as a way to end mass shootings in schools. The company backed down on its proposal Sunday, but the damage had been done. Axon had first asked the advisory board to consider a pilot program to outfit a select number of police departments with Taser-drones last year, and again last month. A majority of the ethics advisory board, which comprises AI ethics experts, law professors, and police reform and civil liberties advocates, opposed it both times. Advisory board chairman Barry Friedman told WIRED that Axon never asked the group to review any scenario involving schools, and that launching the pilot program without addressing previously stated concerns is dismissive of the board and its established process.

Axon has paused work on a project to build drones equipped with its Tasers. A majority of its artificial intelligence ethics board quit after the plan was announced last week. Nine of the 12 members said in a resignation letter that, just a few weeks ago, the board voted 8-4 to recommend that Axon shouldn't move forward with a pilot study for a Taser-equipped drone concept. "In that limited conception, the Taser-equipped drone was to be used only in situations in which it might avoid a police officer using a firearm, thereby potentially saving a life," the nine board members wrote. They noted Axon might decline to follow that recommendation and were working on a report regarding measures the company should have in place were it to move forward.

This photo provided by Axon Enterprise depicts a conceptual design through a computer-generated rendering of a taser drone. Axon Enterprise, Inc. via AP hide caption This photo provided by Axon Enterprise depicts a conceptual design through a computer-generated rendering of a taser drone. WASHINGTON -- Axon, the company best known for developing the Taser, said Monday it was halting plans to develop a Taser-equipped drone after a majority of its ethics board resigned over the controversial project. Axon's founder and CEO Rick Smith said the company's announcement last week -- which drew a rebuke from its artificial intelligence ethics board -- was intended to "initiate a conversation on this as a potential solution." Smith said the ensuing discussion "provided us with a deeper appreciation of the complex and important considerations" around the issue.

Imagine a stadium where ultra-high-resolution video feeds and camera-carrying drones track how individual players' joints flex during a game, how high they jump or fast they run--and, using AI, precisely identify athletes' risk of injury in real time. Coaches and elite athletes are betting on new technologies that combine artificial intelligence with video to predict injuries before they happen and provide highly tailored prescriptions for workouts and practice drills to reduce the risk of getting hurt. In coming years, computer-vision technologies similar to those used in facial-recognition systems at airport checkpoints will take such analysis to a new level, making the wearable sensors in wide use by athletes today unnecessary, sports-analytics experts predict.

This photo provided by Axon Enterprise depicts a conceptual design through a computer-generated rendering of a taser drone. Axon Enterprise, Inc. via AP hide caption This photo provided by Axon Enterprise depicts a conceptual design through a computer-generated rendering of a taser drone. Taser developer Axon said this week it is working to build drones armed with the electric stunning weapons that could fly in schools and "help prevent the next Uvalde, Sandy Hook, or Columbine." But its own technology advisers quickly panned the idea as a dangerous fantasy. The publicly traded company, which sells Tasers and police body cameras, floated the idea of a new police drone product last year to its artificial intelligence ethics board, a group of well-respected experts in technology, policing and privacy. Some of them expressed reservations about weaponizing drones in over-policed communities of color.

Inspired Flight Technologies, Inc., – A San Luis Obispo, CA, manufacturer of commercial sUAS (small Unmanned Aerial Systems) for Government & Commercial Customers is excited to announce its latest product launch of the IF1200A. The IF1200A builds on the successes of its predecessor, the Blue UAS-accepted IF1200, by delivering a category-leading 85% increase in flight time. The elevates the user experience of Inspired Flight's systems and further streamlines the workflows of operators in the field. The IF1200A is a major leap forward for the heavy-lift electric UAV market. Designed for the same customer base as the IF1200, the IF1200A enables massive increases in overall operational efficiency and cost savings over the 5 year projected lifetime of the aircraft.

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what's clicking on Foxnews.com. The Biden administration is planning on selling four MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones – which are capable of carrying powerful Hellfire missiles – to Ukraine to help the country fight Russia, a report says. The move would provide a military boost to Ukraine in the war, which so far has been using drones like the Turkish Bayraktar-TB2, according to Reuters. The MQ-1C Gray Eagle drones can fly more than 30 hours per mission and carry eight Hellfire missiles, which are double the weight of the munitions that the Bayraktar-TB2 operates with, the news agency adds. "Generally the MQ-1C is a much larger aircraft with a max take-off weight around three times that of the Bayraktar-TB2, with commensurate advantages in payload capacity, range, and endurance," drone expert Dan Gettinger of the nonprofit Vertical Flight Society told Reuters.

In Japan, a low birth rate and aging of the population are causing the working-age population – those aged between 15 and 64 – to contract dramatically. According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC)2, Japan's working age population as of October 1, 2021, was 74,504,000, down 584,000 from the previous year. This came to 59.4% of the total population – the smallest it has ever been. And the trend is expected to accelerate. Contraction of the working age population affects society in a number of ways, the biggest concern being potential economic decline due to a shortage of workers. Government and corporations have driven efforts in recent years to grow the number of workers by creating better working environments for women and the elderly, but it is essential that the labor force gets an even bigger boost now in the face of quickening contraction of the available population.

Don't miss John Minor of the Sonoran Desert Institute on Dawn of Drones, Wednesday June 1 at 11:00 AM EST. Join Dawn and special guest John Minor, Managing Director/Dean of the School of Unmanned Technology, Sonoran Desert Institute, our sponsor-of-the-month, as we kick off June and our "Emerging Industry Leaders" 4-week series on the podcast. Sonoran Desert Institute was founded in 2000 and originally offered Gunsmithing as a program. In January 2022, SDI introduced the School of Unmanned Technology and began to offer the Certificate in Unmanned Technology – Aerial Systems program. This Certificate provides students with a solid foundation of historical, technical, and operational knowledge about UAS, including how commercial businesses make their operations more efficient, cost effective, and safe.