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Atlanta FIFA festival draws 95 drone seizures
FBI agents in Atlanta confiscated 95 illegal drones flown over FIFA World Cup venues despite strict federal no-fly zones.
CHAMBLEE, Ga. - Law enforcement officials say federal agents detected nearly 1,600 unauthorized drones and seized over 700 across 11 host cities, including 95 in Atlanta alone during the FIFA World Cup.
Federal officials say this successful crackdown sets a new benchmark for drone mitigation during major global sporting events.
What we know:
FBI video shows federal agents grounding and seizing unauthorized drones over FIFA World Cup venues.
Despite strict federal no-fly zones, nearly a hundred hobbyists pushed drones into restricted airspace, creating immediate safety hazards.
FBI Special Agent Marlo Graham showed us some of the drones seized during the global event.
What they're saying:
"This behind us is our drone mitigation evidence," Graham said. "So, as a result of some seizures that occurred during FIFA, this is what we have left. We have just a small sampling of what's the collective; we seized 95 drones."
Using advanced tracking technology, federal teams located operators on the ground and confiscated their gear. Across all 11 host cities nationwide, the FBI detected nearly 1,600 unauthorized drones and seized over 700. Agents relied on Remote ID technology, which acts as a digital license plate, to pinpoint the exact coordinates of pilots on the ground.
Federal officials emphasized that flight safety extends beyond ground security.
"And the reason is the threat could be nefarious, but it's unsafe," Graham said. "We need to be safe in the air as well as on the ground. And so, to make sure that we're safe in the air so that our drones can fly and be clear without crashing with the hobbyists."
What's next:
Violators now face federal charges carrying up to a year in prison and a one hundred thousand dollar fine, establishing a brand-new playbook for global sports security.
Officials noted that the tactics used during the tournament will shape future security strategies for major events nationwide.
"I think you will see going forward for large scale events; you will see a drone mitigation feature similar to what we just ran here for FIFA," Graham said.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from FBI Special Agent Marlo Graham, who displayed seized drone mitigation evidence and detailed federal enforcement efforts, as well as video provided by the FBI.