Drone crackdown: Atlanta police seize 86 aircraft at World Cup events

Atlanta drones complete 1,400 safety flights

Atlanta police have completed more than 1,400 drone flights over a five-week period to secure the city during major events.

ATLANTA - The Atlanta Police Department teamed up with federal agents to crack down on unauthorized drone flights over crowded soccer events, resulting in 86 aircraft confiscations. 

Monitoring large crowds

What we know:

Atlanta police officers are deploying drones as eyes in the sky to secure high-profile summer events like the World Cup games, FanFest and the Peachtree Road Race. The dedicated drone unit has already completed over 1,400 flights, logging roughly 550 hours of flight time in a five-week span. 

These unmanned aircraft give ground units multiple viewpoints, allowing them to locate unapproved pilots in a matter of minutes. Law enforcement officials have already confiscated 86 drones from operators who breached restricted airspace. 

According to the drone unit, most intercepted pilots are simply careless or clueless hobbyists who bought the aircraft specifically to film footage of the soccer festivities. However, local authorities and the FBI are operating proactively because of the potential for drones to be weaponized.

On the federal level, people flying unauthorized drones can face criminal charges, jail time and fines reaching up to $100,000. 

Restricted stadium airspace

What we don't know:

Officials have not yet confirmed how many of the 86 intercepted operators will face formal criminal charges in federal court. It remains unclear if any of the seized aircraft have caused physical injuries or property damage before being grounded by security teams. 

Additionally, authorities have not stated whether any of the unapproved pilots demonstrated malicious intent or if all cases stemmed from inexperienced hobbyists unaware of active flight bans.