By Dronelife Options Editor Jim Magill
(Editor’s notice: That is the third in a sequence of tales on efforts to ascertain new counter-UAS protocols within the U.S. to guard high-profile sporting occasions and important infrastructure from the potential threats posed by drones flown by careless or hostile actors. This story will give attention to the challenges confronted by officers within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in growing counter-UAS operations to guard World Cup-related occasions of their area.)
Massachusetts, which can host seven matches of the FIFA World Cup 2026, will divvy up roughly $21.2 million in federal grant cash for counter-UAS operations amongst three recipients: the Massachusetts State Police, the Boston Police Division and the Foxborough Police Division.
The funds are a part of a $250 million grant, which the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA) is awarding to cities internet hosting occasions related to the World Cup event and America’s 250th birthday celebration. The cash is earmarked for use to help coaching, personnel and gear to guard in opposition to the safety dangers created by the malicious use of drones.
Underneath the grant program, administered by the Massachusetts Workplace of Grants and Analysis (OGR), the Boston PD will obtain virtually half the accessible funds, virtually $11 million, whereas the State Police will obtain virtually $6.8 million, and the Foxborough PD will get about $3.5 million.
Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, which shall be referred to as Boston Stadium throughout World Cup occasions, would be the website of seven matches in the course of the world-renowned soccer occasion, together with two knockout video games within the latter levels of the event.
“The FIFA World Cup 2026 shall be a spotlight of an thrilling yr in Massachusetts, and we’re dedicated to making sure that everybody can benefit from the occasion safely,” Governor Maura Healey mentioned in an OGR press assertion. “These grants will assist state and native police businesses bolster safety, coaching and gear to maintain residents and guests secure all through the video games and surrounding celebrations.”
The three police businesses are anticipated to make use of the FEMA funding to buy UAS detection and monitoring applied sciences to guard the World Cup websites from the potential risks posed by drones flown by dangerous actors.
“Giant-venue safety is a vital aspect of our homeland safety applications, and these grants will assist make sure that residents and guests are capable of safely benefit from the World Cup video games and different large-scale occasions,” mentioned OGR Govt Director Kevin Stanton.
Grant Recipients Going through A number of Challenges
Designing a coordinated counter-UAS effort to guard the 1000’s of followers anticipated to flock to the World Cup occasions within the space goes to current enormous logistical challenges for the three police businesses. To start with “Boston Stadium,” shouldn’t be within the metropolis of Boston.
Gillette Stadium, the house of NFL’s New England Patriots (NFL) and Main League Soccer’s New England Revolution (MLS) is situated about 27 miles southwest of the Boston metropolis middle. Secondly, lower than six months earlier than the World Cup occasions within the space are set to get below manner in early June, organizers haven’t but decided a location for the place the official World Cup Fan Pageant could be held.
Based on a report on World Cup readiness, launched final week by the Massachusetts Govt Workplace of Public Security and Safety, the situation of the Fan Pageant “a key part to the fan expertise and celebration” and the “main public viewing occasion,” has not been chosen.
“Whereas the state doesn’t have a task in committing to a location, it does have a task in planning to ship a secure and safe setting for the chosen location. Till the situation is recognized, planning, coordination and preparation is restricted and projected prices could have to be up to date as soon as a location is finalized,” the report states.
Deciding on a Fan Pageant website is also prone to be an enormous consider selections relating to the sorts of counter-UAS gear to be bought and its placement.
Making certain that their personnel are skilled in the usage of counter-UAS gear, significantly in drone-mitigation gear designed to convey down rogue drones, is one other key issue for the three police businesses to cope with.
Based on FEMA, “Funds for C-UAS mitigation capabilities (e.g., kinetic or non-kinetic applied sciences used to disable, destroy, or seize management of UAS throughout flight) could solely be approved for legislation enforcement or correctional businesses with personnel who’ve been skilled or are scheduled to be skilled on the FBI Nationwide Counter-UAS Coaching Middle (NCUTC).”
As well as, FEMA stipulates drone-mitigation applied sciences procured by way of the grant program “together with radio frequency methods, kinetic methods, and superior detection, monitoring, and identification methods,” should be per the technological capabilities of the gear the FBI makes use of in its coaching.
Within the OGR assertion, Massachusetts Public Security and Safety Secretary Gina Kwon pressured the necessity for collaboration throughout all of the area’s public service businesses that shall be concerned within the improvement of counter-UAS methods to guard individuals and property at World Cup occasions from threats posed by nefariously operated drones.
“This funding will strengthen our operational capabilities, from personnel to know-how, so legislation enforcement can reply shortly and successfully,” Kwon mentioned. “These grants guarantee state and native companions are outfitted to safeguard residents and guests throughout main occasions just like the World Cup.”
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Jim Magill is a Houston-based author with virtually a quarter-century of expertise masking technical and financial developments within the oil and fuel business. After retiring in December 2019 as a senior editor with S&P World Platts, Jim started writing about rising applied sciences, resembling synthetic intelligence, robots and drones, and the methods during which they’re contributing to our society. Along with DroneLife, Jim is a contributor to Forbes.com and his work has appeared within the Houston Chronicle, U.S. Information & World Report, and Unmanned Techniques, a publication of the Affiliation for Unmanned Car Techniques Worldwide.
Ian McNabb is a journalist specializing in drone know-how and life-style content material at Dronelife. He’s primarily based between Boston and NH and, when not writing, enjoys mountaineering and Boston space sports activities.
