The NFL’s top ranked security official recently backed a bipartisan legislation that will authorize the federal government to track, seize, and destroy any drones considered to pose a threat to public gatherings. According to the NFL’s senior vice president of security, Cathy Lanier, there has been a sharp rise in the number of incidents by drones in NFL stadiums. This includes last year’s highly publicized incident at Levi’s Stadium in San Francisco where a drone was used to drop leaflets inside the stadium. According to Lanier, it was just by luck than the drone dropped leaflets only and not something dangerous like a bomb which they are fully capable of dropping.

The NFL fully supports the legislation which is sponsored by Senator Ron Jonson and Senator Claire McCaskill. If pushed through, the legislation would allow the department of Homeland Security and Department of Justice to capture or destroy any unauthorized drones flying over restricted areas. According to the senators, it is still shocking that the government is currently unable to take down drones that pose a threat to people.

The NFL is happy with the legislation but still feels there is room for improvement. The NFL wants Congress to take it a step further and allow not just federal authorities, but also local authorities to engage dangerous drones. Lander pointed out how the drones are frequently launched from nearby parking lots without warning, and the response time from the federal authorities might be too slow. There are also insufficient federal personnel and resources to cater for all the events that need protection across the country, including their football games. As such, she emphasized the need for local and federal authorities to join forces in the fight against threatening drones.

The NFL also supports the FAA’s proposal to require drones owned or operated in the US to have a remote identification number operating in the same way as a vehicle’s license plate. According to the League, it should be the duty of the Department of Homeland Security, not the FAA, to lead the drone identification efforts.  Meanwhile, the league has sought to have its own drones. A couple of years ago, the NFL became the first sports league to be granted permission by the FAA to use drones for filming, though not during games. Individual teams have tried to combat unauthorized drones that opponents could use to spy on practice. The Steelers erected a retractable tarp at the end of their practice field to protect themselves from spy drones.

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