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The Atlanta Falcons are among the NFL teams using a drone detection system to monitor the activity of unauthorized drones flying near their stadium. Last season, the NFL reportedly counted 1,400 cases of drones flying over or around stadiums during times of those air spaces being under flight restrictions.

“With the deployment of our drone detection for Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and around our campus, we're very aware of the drone activity,” says Joe Coomer, VP of Security for AMB Sports + Entertainment. “It's very top of mind at the NFL and our security leaders. Over the last five years, we're starting to see drones become weaponized in some form or fashion.”

The Falcons share the retractable roofed Mercedes-Benz Stadium with MLS club Atlanta United, as both teams are owned by AMB Sports + Entertainment. Coomer says the organization is working with two technology providers, drone software company Aerial Armour and Dedrone, whose DroneDefender radio frequency-jamming device can be pointed to force aerial drones to land. The combined system from Aerial Armour includes RF detection, drone radar, and optical thermal cameras.

“If there's temporary flight restrictions around the stadium for our events, our NFL games, college football games, when that TRF is in effect we can actually give some teeth to our law enforcement partners through our drone detection,” Coomer tells SportTechie. “Not only does it identify the drone, but also the source of the driver. And we can do a true interdiction on the driver to get that drone down.”

Earlier this summer, the NFL, MLB, NCAA and NASCAR sent a joint letter to congress that supported a Biden administration proposal for expanded drone flying regulations. Mercedes-Benz Stadium notably partnered with Lucid Drone Technologies in 2020 to use drones to aerially spray disinfectant across the stadium’s 71,000 seats as a cleaning measure against COVID-19.