A special eagle patrol to protect the official residence of Spain’s royal family.
Zarzuela Palace, on the outskirts of Madrid, will have a special bird patrol detailed to protect the skies.
Eagles have long been deployed to monitor Spain’s fauna and ecosystems.
Now they are to be trained to patrol against drones, similar to the Dutch police initiative Guard From Above which uses eagles for the same purpose.
"Eagles which have been raised by hand in captivity are fundamental to maintaining a balance in our environment," naturalist and trainer, Jesús Gómez, 53, said.
"But the world is advancing at such a pace that they have to adapt to new threats."
Within about two months, the eagles learned how to capture a drone and put it on the ground, the trainer said.
But first Gómez tempts them with a reward placed initially inside the drone. As the bird begins to learn the process, the reward comes after it has retrieved and downed the drone.
"They know they cannot eat the drone, but know that behind its capture is a reward," said Gómez.
"After about 15 or 20 tries the eagle learns that it is simply a game."
In July last year, Zarzuela Palace was infiltrated by drones. Staff spotted a series of small drones appearing at night and flying over a restricted area.
The Royal Guard did not manage to capture any of the drones or detect their purpose. The episode remains a mystery.
