FOOTBALL – Security planners for the World Cup are preparing for drones to pose one of the tournament’s most complicated threats, as officials seek to protect stadiums, fan zones, team hotels, training sites and transit routes across multiple US cities and jurisdictions.
Industry executives and US officials said the threat ranges from careless spectators seeking social media footage to operators conducting surveillance or attempting to disrupt matches.
Melissa Swisher, chief revenue officer of SkySafe, a drone-detection and airspace security company, said inexpensive aircraft have “fundamentally changed” security planning for major sporting events because they can enter restricted areas before authorities can react.
“A thousand-dollar drone that’s going 40 to 45 miles per hour could cross two miles in under three minutes,” Swisher said.