ATLANTA — The FBI and Atlanta Police Department are conducting a significant security operation ahead of the World Cup semifinals between England and Argentina at Atlanta Stadium. Both agencies have deployed drones to monitor for potential threats both on the ground and in the air.

The FBI is enforcing the Federal Aviation Administration's Temporary Flight Restrictions around the venue. Since the World Cup began, the FBI has confiscated over 600 drones nationwide, with Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Atlanta Field Office Marlo Graham reporting that 86 of those were seized in Atlanta alone. Graham explained that the FBI uses a specialized "mechanism" to detect unauthorized drones in restricted airspace and has successfully "safely land[ed] drones that have been unauthorized in the flight restricted area."

Kindu Franklin noted that most individuals caught flying drones near World Cup venues are hobbyists without any harmful intent toward the crowds. Some have even purchased drones recently to capture footage for FIFA-related social media content.

The local drone unit has been active, completing more than 1,400 flights and logging over 550 flight hours since early June. Anais Paredes, an Atlanta Police Department drone pilot, emphasized their familiarity with the area, stating, "We live here, so we know what to expect."

Authorities remain vigilant due to the potential for drones to be weaponized, operating proactively to mitigate any threats. They also aim to prevent disruptions to the game, such as incidents where a hobbyist's drone might interfere with play during critical moments.

The closed dome stadium in Atlanta provides some additional security benefits given the large crowds expected closer to the venue.

Sources