In the 2014 World Cup soccer in Brazil, there was a reported incident where a drone was spotted during one of France's training sessions prior to their match against Honduras. Although FIFA - soccer's governing body - was quick to dismiss it, the incident raised awareness to the very real safety and security threats drones present to major sports teams.
Didier Deschamps - France team's manager - described it as "unfortunate." He further suggested that drones were slowly intruding into the privacy of soccer teams before matches. And "it has become difficult to fight them these days."
That was in 2014.
Fast forward to 2021, and these flying, camera-equipped quadcopters have not ceased to be a nuisance in sports. This recent incident paints a vivid picture of the worrying situation in sporting activities and, in this case, soccer.
Chile and Argentina are among the fiercest soccer rivals. They were to face each other in a World Cup qualifier match - which denotes the gravity of the game. However, during one of the training sessions, the Chile national team observed a "Spy-cam" hovering above the training ground.
The Chilean team sent a drone to check out the suspicious object and intercept the possible breach of privacy.
What transpired was a crash between the two drones. However, Chile's National Professional Football Association termed it an "accident," while the reporters who witnessed the conflict between the two drones assert that it was a deliberate act.
Later, it was discovered that the intercepted drone belonged to an energy company - Enel -which indicated that it was checking the street lighting.
The latest incident has become part of a series of drone-related incidents which are of much concern.
In 2014, a drone carrying an Albanian flag halted a Euro 2016 qualifier in a match between Serbia and Albania. A melee ensued after fans invaded the field, which led to the match being suspended. Although UEFA opened a disciplinary process against Serbia and Albania, it is clear that drones carry a significant threat that perpetuates a political agenda in soccer.
In yet another drone-related incident in soccer, a football match involving Mansfield against Scunthorpe came to a halt after a drone was seen hovering over the stadium. Reports indicate that the match was stopped for several minutes as a safety precaution. Later, the drone was confiscated, and the owner was charged for operating a drone without a valid license.
The incident took place in April this year.
As you can see, privacy issues and security concerns within soccer are certainly on the rise due to the growing popularity of drones.
We cannot ignore the fact that drones pose an array of threats for all industries. It has never been more critical to ensure the necessary steps are taken to monitor and mitigate the risks posed by drones.
Effective drone detection is one of the first steps in neutralizing any potential aerial threat. Our layered approach to detecting unwanted drones involves providing you with the latest drone detection devices and the best drone detection software.
At Aerial Armor, it's our business to protect your business from unwanted drone intrusions. Contact us today for more information on drone detection and ask about the DJI AeroScope.
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