In the run up to the opening World Cup match in Los Angeles next week, authorities on Monday announced a series of security measures \u2014 including a no-drone zone at all venues nationwide, with officials saying they will take down any unauthorized flying objects.<\/p>\n
Federal officials have been scrambling to get countermeasures in place as drones increasingly are being used as weapons of war and terror. Inglewood\u2019s SoFi Stadium will host eight matches during the FIFA World Cup 2026, ending with a quarter-final match July 10. Both the U.S. national team and the team from Iran, whose countries remain at war, will be playing at the venue.<\/p>\n
Patrick Grandy, an FBI assistant director who oversees the Los Angeles office, said the agency will work with the Federal Aviation Administration to enforce temporary flight restrictions over the stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe will be deploying drone mitigation and interception teams with capabilities to detect, track and assess unauthorized drone activity that threatens aviation safety or the public around venues at major events,\u201d Grandy said. \u201cDrone operators who enter restricted airspace without authorization may face fines up to $100,000.\u201d<\/p>\n
The games, the largest sporting event in U.S. history, have been classified as a national security event, meaning federal law enforcement can deploy its most extensive security measures under the Department of Homeland Security umbrella.<\/p>\n
On World Cup match days across the country, all aircraft \u2014 including drones \u2014 will be prohibited below 3,000 feet in altitude and within a 3-nautical-mile radius around the stadiums unless otherwise authorized by air traffic control.<\/p>\n
Grandy said the FBI is authorized to use a variety of technologies to detect whether a drone is violating restricted airspace. \u201cThe capability exists to bring that drone down into a safe location away from the grounds,\u201d he said. \u201cThere will be zero tolerance.\u201d<\/p>\n
Federal officials did not disclose the specific nature of the anti-drone jamming and remote grabbing technology that probably would be utilized. <\/p>\n
The threat posed by drones goes beyond someone who intends to do harm \u2014 even hobbyists can be dangerous. <\/p>\n