How King County, WA will use World Cup counter-drone tech in future

KING COUNTY, Wash. - The King County Sheriff’s Office is keeping millions of dollars in advanced counter-drone technology acquired to secure Seattle during the FIFA World Cup, allowing local law enforcement to monitor airspace at future mass gatherings across Washington.

The security initiative was funded by approximately $17 million in federal grants, according to officials, which paid for new detection equipment and overtime resources.

Securing the skies over Seattle

During the tournament, the King County Sheriff’s Office worked alongside federal partners to monitor temporary flight restrictions around Seattle Stadium. The federal funding secured three sets of counter-drone technology for King County deputies and two sets for the Washington State Patrol.

"The technology that we have will use either radio frequency or radar detection," said Sgt. Jason Stanley of the King County Sheriff’s Office.

When unauthorized operators flew drones into restricted areas, local deputies and federal agents used a coordinated response to track them down. Law enforcement deployed defensive drones to locate the rogue aircraft from the air while ground officers on bicycles and in patrol vehicles tracked down the pilots on the ground.

Dozens of drones seized during World Cup matches

In total, 42 drones were seized from operators who violated temporary flight restrictions around Seattle Stadium during the six World Cup match days in Seattle from June 15 to July 6, 2026.

The FBI Seattle office released a statement detailing the enforcement:

"In total, 42 drones were seized from operators who violated temporary flight restrictions (TFR) around Seattle Stadium during the six World Cup match days in Seattle from June 15 to July 6, 2026. Please contact the Seattle Police Department regarding arrests made during the World Cup events. These were local charges. Separately, federal charging decisions for any TFR violations will be determined by the U.S. Attorney’s Office which evaluates if cases meet the criteria for federal prosecution.

FBI Seattle worked closely with other federal, state, and local partners, including the King County Sheriff’s Office. The SAFER SKIES Act, signed into law in December 2025, authorizes trained and certified state and local law enforcement to support counter-unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) operations at major public events, critical infrastructure, and other protected sites. For the FIFA World Cup, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security led coordinated counter-UAS protection across all U.S. host cities, including Seattle. Trained state and local officers served on FBI-led task forces to support counter-UAS operations at tournament venues and associated sites as needed. The local partners bring critical skills and resources to, and are an integral part of, the counter-UAS effort.

Drones were prohibited to protect the safety of fans, players, and communities. Strict airspace restrictions were in place to prevent unauthorized drone activity, which could have posed risks to public safety and disrupted the event. Before every flight, drone operators should check for active flight restrictions using an FAA-approved B4UFLY service provider. Flight restrictions may be put in place by the FAA for a variety of reasons, including but not limited to special events. A list of approved providers offering free airspace awareness tools for desktop and mobile is available at faa.gov/uas/getting_started/b4ufly. Drone operators who enter restricted airspace without authorization may face fines of up to $100,000, drone confiscation, and federal criminal felony or misdemeanor charges, with the FBI identifying operators, seizing drones, and supporting prosecution. As always, if you observe unsafe or improper use of a drone, report it to the FBI tip line at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324) or tips.fbi.gov."

Expanding drone defense statewide

While the specialized equipment was acquired specifically for the World Cup, local officials say the technology and partnerships will benefit the entire state moving forward.

"We, in Washington state, realized that no one agency could do all the work because the expectation was to continue to provide ongoing counter-drone support in the area and in the region," Stanley said. "Let's make sure all our equipment communicates with each other. Let's make sure we're all on the same page."

Stanley noted that federal agencies deputizing local law enforcement officers for the event has accelerated long-term partnerships between agencies statewide, including the State Patrol, the City of Seattle, and the Spokane County Sheriff's Office.

"We just created an amazing partnership between the federal partners, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, and then, the local agencies, like the State Patrol and City of Seattle, and Spokane Sheriff's Office," Stanley said. "The federal law allows us to enact a security Temporary Flight Restriction, and those flight restrictions can be enforced with the equipment that we have and that we share with our partners in the state and under the direction of the FBI."

What's next:

Moving forward, the Sheriff's Office plans to deploy the technology at other major public gatherings, such as large concerts and championship sports parades.

"Your drone that you can pick up in a department store or something like that can be a threat to our communities," Stanley said.

With the tournament now over, King County officials plan to continue training deputies and gradually roll out the counter-drone program to assist other jurisdictions across Washington.

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