At NFL games this season, drone defense tech aims to bring down disruptions — SkimNews
Get the Sports newsletter
Daily sports — scores, transfers, the storylines from the leagues you actually follow. Free.
- Jacksonville Jaguars became the first NFL team to publicly announce a drone defense deal with Ondas-owned Sentrycs, with the system activating for the first time Sunday ahead of the Patriots game at EverBank Stadium.
- The NFL recorded 10,852 drone violations near its 30 stadiums between 2021 and 2025, though only a handful resulted in disrupted games — including a 2025 Ravens-Steelers playoff game in Baltimore that was paused mid-game.
- The NFL and MLB jointly sent a letter to the Department of Homeland Security earlier this month arguing that unauthorized drone activity presents 'an ongoing and growing challenge' and that more federal resources are needed.
- Sentrycs was one of several firms contracted for drone defense at this summer's FIFA World Cup, where the FBI reported roughly 700 drone interceptions across the four-week tournament — prompting Sentrycs CEO Eric Brock to call the volume of simultaneous drones a surprise.
- The Safer Skies Act, signed by President Trump in December and effective July 1, grants state and local authorities permission to bring down drones encroaching on airports and major venues.
- Israeli defense firm IWI markets the Arbel, an AR-15-mounted targeting device that shoots drones out of the sky rather than jamming their signal; the company now operates at 20 European airports and 10 U.S. sites, declining to disclose specific American locations.
- Robin Radar USA general manager Kristian Brost, a former Marine who worked on emerging military tech during the 2003 Iraq invasion, said defeating drones requires layered sensors, software, and interdiction — calling it 'the ultimate team sport.'
Why it matters: With 10,852 drone violations near NFL stadiums in five years and the Safer Skies Act now empowering local authorities, teams are moving beyond detection to active mitigation — but as drone sales explode and regulation still lags, stadium operators, airports, and federal agencies are racing to harden airspace at a cost ($250M spent pre-World Cup) that is now being amortized across the NFL season.
Ask SkimNews
