Trump signs bill to help stadiums combat drones

President Donald Trump signed a bill into law Thursday that allows local and state law enforcement officials to disable drones during sporting events, a change long sought by the NFL and other major leagues.

«We thank President Trump and our Congressional champions from both political parties who took decisive action to keep fans safe,» NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. «With a rising number of drones flying in restricted airspace, it is critical that state and local law enforcement have the tools to prevent harm. This important step will help protect fans at stadiums across the country.»

The NFL told ESPN that in each of the past three seasons, it has experienced more than 2,000 drone incursions into the temporarily restricted airspace around its stadiums, which the FAA defines as below 3,000 feet and within 3 nautical miles of a stadium from one hour before until one hour after a game.

The Safer Skies Act was included in the National Defense Authorization Act, which passed the Senate earlier this week. The legislation received bipartisan support as the U.S. prepares to host several major events next summer, including the World Cup and the celebration of the country’s 250th birthday.

Previously, only a handful of major events, such as the Super Bowl, the World Series and the World Cup final, were eligible for federal law enforcement on-site that could disable unauthorized drones. Nearly all other major sporting events, including thousands of NFL and MLB games, have not had officials on-site with the legal authorization to quickly remove a drone threat.

This law allows local and state law enforcement to receive the same training as federal agents and work on-site during large-scale sporting events.

«As drones become more common, the risk of them causing disruptions or being used for malicious activities at sporting events only grows stronger,» Senator Gary Peters (D-Michigan) told ESPN in a statement. «Law enforcement officials must be able to protect stadiums in their communities from these growing threats, especially as the United States prepares to host next summer’s FIFA World Cup and the upcoming 2028 LA Olympics.»