Buzz off! Illegal drone use a growing issue at sports venues

Long after drones became a key tool for militaries and spy agencies, authorities now realize the threat they can pose to sports events. It’s not multimillion-dollar military-grade drones prompting concerns, but remote-controlled contraptions costing just a few hundred dollars that can be sent soaring over stadiums. And, as the chaos at a soccer game in Belgrade last week showed, a provocative flag or banner being carried by a low-cost device can be a catalyst for disorder.

Just imagine that a drone carrying a bomb instead of a flag comes to a ground. What can we do?

Michel Platini, Union of European Football Associations president

In recent weeks, drones have also been appearing, seemingly undetected, over several English soccer venues: from Wembley to Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium. Authorities and clubs only appear to have become aware of their existence after footage appeared on an aviation enthusiast’s YouTube channel, showing a bird’s eye view of pitches. The CAA is also looking into a video captured at Wembley last month of preparations for the London NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Oakland Raiders.

Sports drones