By Dronelife Features Editor Jim Magill
(Editor’s note: This story is part of a series of reports on efforts to establish new counter-UAS protocols in the U.S. to protect high-profile sporting events and critical infrastructure from the potential threats posed by drones flown by careless or hostile actors.)
Federal, state and local officials are closely coordinating their efforts to ensure the skies above FIFA World Cup matches and related events in Atlanta are closed to unauthorized drone traffic.
Recently, at separate events, officials with the FBI and the Atlanta Police Department stressed the importance of legitimate drone operators to abide by the FAA’s announced no-drone zone mandate. The federal agency will impose temporary flight restrictions in June and July above Mercedes-Benz Stadium in downtown Atlanta, where the matches will be played, as well as Atlanta’s Centennial Olympic Park, home of the FIFA FanFestival.
FBI Warns Drone Pilots: No Exceptions for Hobbyists or Photographers
“Our biggest priority right now is messaging, making sure that individuals are aware that this is a no-drone zone and we want to ensure that that messaging gets out,” FBI Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hope said at a May 28 press conference detailing the bureau’s security preparations for the tournament. “Our crisis response squad will be there. Should there be the need for us to interdict a drone, we have the capability to do that.”
Hope said the FBI has the technology to spot drones that are violating the airspace restrictions, and to locate the operators of those drones.
“So, that’s something that we will be doing if those circumstances allow,” he said.
Hope said the no-fly zone restrictions won’t make any exceptions for recreational drone pilots or those who want to shoot photos or video of the event sites.
“You’ve seen it everywhere right now, the way drones are being leveraged for nefarious reasons,” he said. “And so, we just want to eliminate that potential by having a no-fly zone and having teams on the ground that can mitigate a drone that goes up, even if it is for a hobbyist or pictures.”
FAA Flight Restrictions Cover Mercedes-Benz Stadium and Centennial Olympic Park
The flight restrictions, which will be in force on days of FIFA-related activities, will prohibit all flights within a three-nautical-mile radius of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and up to 3,000 feet above ground level unless specifically authorized by air traffic control.
In addition, unless specifically authorized, drone operations will be prohibited within a one-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000 feet above ground level at Centennial Olympic Park.
Operating a drone in violation of these restrictions could carry severe consequences for the UAV operator, including civil penalties up to $75,000 per violation, criminal fines up to $100,000; confiscation of the drone and potential criminal prosecution.
Under the restrictions, the FBI is authorized to use specialized mitigation tools to intercept and seize drones found to be in violation.
FBI Exploring Counter-UAS Technology Options, Will Deploy Its Own Drones
Hope said the FBI has not yet made a final selection as to what capabilities a counter-UAS system designed to protect the airspace over FIFA-related sites in Atlanta would have.
“There’s a lot of different technologies out there and we’ll be kind of exploring a couple of different options,” he said. “There are concerns; we don’t want to interfere with a drone signal and cause it to fall.”
He said the FBI would be deploying its own UAVs to help secure the airspace. “We will be utilizing our drones to provide an overview of the space,” he said. He added that the UAVs in the agency’s drone fleet range from lightweight, highly portable drones that can be quickly transported to a site where they are needed, to larger models with added battery life that can remain on station aloft for longer periods of time.
Atlanta PD Stresses Importance of FAA Compliance
In another recent press conference on security preparations for World Cup events, officials with the Atlanta Police Department also stressed the need for drone pilots to abide by the FAA’s pending flight restrictions.
“There will be a temporary flight restriction that will be implemented not only on match days, but also through the entire FIFA operational period,” said Deputy Chief C. Hampton Jr. “During this time, do not bring your drones to that area. Do not fly or you could face a civil penalty up to $100,000, confiscation of your drone and/or criminal prosecution.”
Hampton said the APD would deploy its own drones to help enhance security at the World Cup-related sites. He said the department would be aided in this effort by its partner law enforcement agencies, including the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Brookhaven PD and Clayton County PD, and the Richmond and Fulton counties sheriff’s departments.
Georgia Receives $20 Million in FEMA Funding for Counter-UAS Operations
The state of Georgia received $20 million, as part of a $250 million FEMA grant to fund the establishment of counter-UAS operations in U.S. cities hosting World Cup events and America250 celebrations. The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency (GEMA/HS) serves as the state administrative agency responsible for allocating the funds to the Atlanta PD.
“Through this program, GEMA/HS is responsible for administering federal grant funding intended to strengthen the capabilities of eligible law enforcement agencies to address emerging UAS threats and enhance public safety during nationally significant events and critical incidents,” GEMA/HS said in an email statement.
GEMA/HS Hosts Drone Awareness Training and Coordinates Multi-Agency Response
In the lead-up to the World Cup tournament, GEMA/HS hosted two Drone Awareness and Response Training (DART) sessions “to provide law enforcement, emergency management and homeland security personnel with a better understanding of drone technologies, emerging threats, legal authorities and response considerations,” the agency said. “The training helps agencies improve their ability to identify, assess, report and coordinate responses to unauthorized drone activity during large-scale events.”
In addition, GEMA/HS said it is “actively coordinating with federal agencies, state law enforcement, local jurisdictions, emergency management agencies and event security partners to ensure a unified approach to airspace security and incident response planning. These activities support broader public safety objectives associated with hosting one of the world’s largest sporting events.”
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Jim Magill is a Houston-based writer with almost a quarter-century of experience covering technical and economic developments in the oil and gas industry. After retiring in December 2019 as a senior editor with S&P Global Platts, Jim began writing about emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence, robots and drones, and the ways in which they’re contributing to our society. In addition to DroneLife, Jim is a contributor to Forbes.com and his work has appeared in the Houston Chronicle, U.S. News & World Report, and Unmanned Systems, a publication of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International.
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