White House official says no weaponized drones seized during FIFA World Cup

WASHINGTON, July 31 - A White House official said on Friday that no weaponized drones were seized among 700 drones recovered at U.S. FIFA World Cup venues and fan zones.

"No weaponized drones were seized," White House Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Counterterrorism Sebastian Gorka told reporters at a drone industry conference in Washington, D.C. He said the incidents involved hobbyists and others who were unaware of flight restrictions imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration, rather than criminal actions.

"They're just doing things that are dumb, but that we have to mitigate," Gorka said.

Gorka said the Trump administration recently held a meeting of senior officials on the severity of potential drone threats.

"We have to know what is flying," Gorka said, adding that software solutions are key to keeping drones out of prohibited airspace.

On World Cup match days, all aircraft operations, including drones, were prohibited within a radius of three nautical miles and up to 3,000 feet (914 meters) above ground level around the soccer stadiums unless specifically authorized by air traffic controllers.

The FAA imposed temporary flight restrictions to bar drones around World Cup sites. At fan gatherings, drones were barred within a one-nautical-mile radius and up to 1,000 feet above ground level.

Gorka said the Homeland Security Department plans to release a report on counter-drone efforts during the World Cup. REUTERS