Why Drone Detection Is No Longer Optional at Sporting Events and Festivals
In the past few years, drones have gone from novelty gadgets to a genuine security risk, especially at large public events like festivals and sporting events. As stadiums and open-air venues fill with tens of thousands of people, the sight of an unknown drone overhead is no longer that rare and it’s far from harmless.
What Happens When You Can’t See the Threat Coming?
Take the recent incident at the Allianz Stadium, where activists flew a Palestinian flag into the arena using a drone, targeting not the game but Allianz the insurer, for work with Israeli arms companies. Strong winds blew it out again but had the drone dropped on the crowd, it could have resulted in serious injury or panic. Incredibly, this 6 Nations venue had no means of tracking where the drone had launched from, showing that the RFU are taking risks that could cost them more than the naming rights for the stadium brought in. The supply chain is the target for many more groups now and this massively broadens the baseline reason to be targeted.
And these aren’t isolated cases, a similar disruption occurred during the Brentford vs Fulham Premier League match in May when players were escorted off the pitch until a drone cleared the airspace. If you look at the US where drone incidents at sporting events are surging. The NFL for example, where strict drone enforcement is now standard procedure and multiple counter-UAS (CUAS) systems are deployed each year. According to The New York Times, hundreds of attempted drone flights are detected during major U.S. sporting events annually, highlighting the scale of the problem these venues now face. Perhaps this will be the bellwether for our sporting events to take note of.
With basic drone delivery accessories now available on EBay, the risk isn’t just the drone itself. It’s the crowd reaction: panic, confusion, or evacuation in response to falling substances or suspicious devices.
At London Heathrow Airport, where our CTO previously managed the CUAS deployment, 97% of drone incursions were resolved simply by locating the drone pilot and asking them to bring the drone down. The message is clear that response time and pilot identification are everything when it comes to understanding the drone threat.
Why Events Have Been Left Behind Until Now
Until recently, counter-drone systems have been dominated by military-grade solutions, often designed for battlefield environments and priced accordingly. When event organisers explored CUAS, they were often met with six-figure price tags for hardware and integration. Completely unrealistic for even the most security conscious venues in 2025 cost conditions.
That’s the gap ZoneAware is closing.
They built a commercial-grade CUAS solution that uses advanced Electro-Optical (EO) and Radio Frequency (RF) detection to locate drones and their operators in real time. But more importantly, they are making it accessible, offering flexible lease models to give festivals, stadiums and sporting events a real option to plug this critical security gap.
What’s at Stake and What’s Possible
With Martyn’s Law on the horizon and a growing demand for event recovery planning and terrorism preparedness, venues have to do more than just detect; they need to triage threats rapidly, with minimal radio traffic and staff distractions. Even small delays can cost dearly in terms of broadcast revenues, costs of added shift work and closure of facilities and food and beverage. That’s before the risk of something more costly occurring.
ZoneAware enables private security teams to operate smarter, respond faster, more accurately and reduce risk. Something insurers will increasingly look for in large-scale events management. Whether you’re planning an equestrian festival, a Premier League match, or a public demonstration, the question is no longer “Will a drone show up?” It’s “Will you be ready when it does?”
ZoneAware, in partnership with WH Management Group is helping UK events take back control of their airspace.
Get in Touch with Us Today
If you’re organising a public, corporate, or private event, especially those with complex logistics or large crowds, consider WHMG as your trusted security partner.
Your safety deserves nothing less than the best. At WH Management Group, we’re committed to providing world-class close protection services tailored to your unique requirements. Call us on 01889 500164 or email info@whmg.co.uk today to discuss how we can help. Let our team give you the peace of mind you deserve.
Article By Chris Rogers, CEO of ZoneAware
