The National Football League (NFL), the Justice Department, the FBI and other federal agencies will appeal to Congress on Tuesday to expand US government authority to detect and neutralize drones that pose potential security threats over stadiums and other critical locations. There are growing concerns in the US about the rising number of unauthorized drone flights over restricted airspace, following recent incidents around military installations y Vandenberg Space Force Base.
NFL Security Chief Cathy Lanier will present data to a US House of Representatives subcommittee showing a sharp rise in unauthorized drone activity over stadiums during NFL games. According to her written testimony, such incidents increased to 2,845 in 2023, compared to 2,537 in 2022, despite existing regulations prohibiting drone flights within a three-mile radius and up to 3,000 feet (914 meters) above major US sporting events.
According to Lainer, “the time to act to keep fans safe is now.” This is the message that will be delivered on Tuesday, stressing the need for urgent action.
Current US law, enacted in 2018, grants the Justice Department and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) limited authority to disable or destroy drones deemed a threat. However, officials argue that these powers are insufficient to address evolving drone technology and the increasing number of incidents.
Proposed legislation would:
- Expand federal drone mitigation authority to protect airports, power plants, oil refineries, chemical facilities and high-risk prisoner transports.
- Allow state and local law enforcement to use federally approved counter-drone technologies.
- Permit critical infrastructure operators to deploy vetted drone-detection capabilities to safeguard their facilities.
The White House and major sports leagues, including the NFL and Major League Baseball, have voiced strong support for these measures. A joint statement from the leagues warned that without expanded authority, “airports and sporting events are at substantial risk from malicious and unauthorized (drone) operation.”
Federal agencies have also highlighted vulnerabilities beyond sports stadiums. The FBI and Justice Department, in joint written testimony, stated:
“Gaps in legal authorities leave sensitive federal facilities, such as CIA headquarters, vulnerable to both intelligence collection by foreign states and physical attacks by hostile actors. We also need to allow critical infrastructure operators to take steps to protect their own facilities and assets.”
The DHS noted the pervasive use of drones for illegal cross-border activities. In a recent six-week period, DHS recorded more than 6,900 drone flights near the Southwest border, demonstrating the increasingly organized and widespread use of drones for smuggling and other illicit activities.
While Congress has debated expanding drone mitigation authorities for years, bipartisan concerns about privacy and potential misuse of such technologies have slowed progress. Advocates for the legislation argue that growing threats to public safety, national security and critical infrastructure necessitate immediate action.
Post Image Credit: Zac Gudakov via Unsplash
