While Amazon is working on drones to deliver packages, Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department needs drones that will capture packages. Specifically, other drones. Last April an unauthorized drone was found on the roof of the Japanese Prime Minister's residence, and because of its payload—radioactive soil from the Fukushima disaster—it was classified as a terrorist incident. Since then the MPD has been seeking ways to intercept unauthorized drones in-flight; now, according to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, they have it.

Artist's Rendering

Artist's Rendering

Artist's Rendering

Okay fine, so this is what it really looks like.

Perhaps I grew up watching too much anime, because I picture a Japanese Interceptor Drone having all sorts of wicked lasers, retractable claw arms or little missiles that leave cool, twisty smoke trails. But the MPD has the concern of not wanting an intercepted drone to tumble to earth, potentially injuring those below, so they've come up with something a bit more mundane:

This month they'll deploy the first unit, which will reportedly be tended by remote pilots working in shifts to provide 24-hour-a-day service. By February, having presumably worked out the kinks, the MPD will increase the fleet size to ten, according to the Nikkei Asian Review.

Watching the video above, it occurs to me that the future is never as cool as you think it's going to be. I guess it will be a while yet before we'll see flight interceptions like the ones from Robotech.