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NASCAR Racetrack in South Carolina
Stadiums and live events, including NASCAR races, are vulnerable to spectators looking to grab unique footage of their events and disrupting operations. According to Luke Ryker of Threat Management Group, the NASCAR racetrack was primarily concerned about copyright infringement issues, but many stadiums also see drones as a threat to the physical safety of spectators, athletes and staff. Spectators were not allowed to attend the event, and TMG was retained by South Carolina state law enforcement to ensure that no drone pilots would interrupt operations on race day, or attempt to capture footage of the race, which would pose copyright and broadcast violations. Additionally, the FAA restricts all flights over NASCAR races within a three-mile radius - any drone in the area would be violating federal airspace restrictions.
TMG leveraged Dedrone to identify areas with the highest drone activity, and to locate and halt any unauthorized drone flights. Dedrone's airspace security solution detected drone take-offs and tracking data, enabling TMG to locate the pilots and ensure a safe, drone-free race day.
By race day, the NASCAR racetrack experienced no drone incursions, and broadcasters were able to film the event without any interruptions. NASCAR racer Kevin Harvick took the gold, earning his 50th career win.
The White House complex has its own technology to mitigate drone threats, but it was always an issue. When the president or vice president were outside on the grounds, we were very cognizant of drones. It’s your basic domestic terrorist threat, so the technology that a company like Threat Management Group has is really worth its weight in gold.
Billy Davis, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service Vice Presidential Protective Division
