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Federal authorities seized more than 700 drones that flew over or near World Cup venues, often using high-tech jammers to backtrack to their pilots.
More than 350 pilots have been fined or are being prosecuted for violating the strict federal flight restrictions, the FBI and Department of Transportation told USA TODAY.
The effort to secure the World Cup was the largest civilian anti-drone effort in U.S. history, federal officials said, and the software used to manage the effort at 11 sites cost taxpayers about $500 million.
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Though inexpensive consumer-grade drones are often used for newsgathering or photography, they can also be deployed for attacks. The U.S. military is investing billions of dollars in new counter-drone technology amid the war in Ukraine, where fighters are blasting tanks, people and infrastructure with cheap drones carrying explosives.
Many of the drones intercepted near the World Cup sites were being flown by people who didn't understand the restrictions or piloting requirements and who just wanted a peek at the games, officials said. Others appeared to be willfully pushing the boundaries. Homeland Security officials said they detected more than 1,500 drones during their enforcement, including hundreds found before they even took off.
"We don't have the luxury of taking the chance and saying, 'Well, this is probably for a slightly nefarious purpose versus criminal purpose,'" FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. "If you're in the space, we're going to take you down."
Drone pilots who violated the restrictions face fines of up to $10,000, along with possible criminal prosecution. The Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and Federal Aviation Administration jointly intercepted drones at World Cup events, which drew an estimated 6.8 million fans.
Miami, Houston, Atlanta and Dallas saw the most World Cup-related drone enforcement, federal officials said. Some drone operators face criminal charges, and all 357 of those caught by federal officials are being fined, the FBI said.
In late June, four Texans were charged with flying drones in an area of Houston covered by a temporary drone flight restriction. And a Mexican national faces up to three years in prison for flying a small drone near AT&T Stadium in Dallas in late June during a qualifying match, the FBI said.
World Cup sites saw multiple anti-drone technologies deployed, from radar-and-camera systems scanning the skies to systems made by Utah-based Fortem Technologies. The company's autonomous drones fire nets at intruding drones. Most of the flying drones intercepted at World Cup events were backtracked by federal agents who first jammed them and then sent teams who followed signals to the operators, officials said.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, his agency said in a statement, was "proud to help FIFA fans get to the games safely and on time."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Feds seize hundreds of drones, prosecute pilots over World Cup flights
