Every major sporting tournament across the world provides a challenge for security professionals who are charged with ensuring that the event passes without security incidents that puts people’s lives at risk. 

It was no surprise therefore that the French security personnel roped in the help of drones to beef up security protocols during the Paris Olympics, and many Formula 1 Grand Prixes have had domes to keep unauthorized drones out.

No tournament comes bigger the FIFA world cup though, and this year’s jamboree in the United states has really not been helped by president Donald Trump abducting leaders of sovereign nations and threatening to snatch other countries’ territories.

Anyhoo… we are neither politicians nor state actors, but we do appreciate how these actions might have added a layer or two to the already heightened sense of security around the world’s ultimate football tournament.

A US company thinks it has solutions to at least the drone side of the security questions when it comes to the world cup.

Detroit, Mississippi-based Airspace Link has a counter-drone platform that is claims is powerful in real-time detection of errant drones at large scale events.  

Called Alert Areas, the platform is reported to be instrumental in helping organisations responsible for securing sensitive facilities, managing large-scale events, or protecting critical infrastructure, passive monitoring is no longer sufficient.

“You need real-time awareness and the ability to act on it immediately,” said Tyler Dicks, head of product at Airspace Link.

“That’s why airspace security provider Airspace Link is introducing Alert Areas within its AirHub Portal — a powerful new tool that transforms how organisations detect, monitor, and respond to rogue drone activity.

“Alert Areas allow organisations to establish monitored 3D airspace volumes and receive instant in-app and email notifications when live drone activity is detected inside those areas.”

Dicks further explained that each Alert Area includes a defined geographic boundary, can be designated recipients for incursion notifications and has the following features

• Real-Time Incursion Detection: Alerts are triggered by live flight telemetry from sensors enabled for your organization. When a drone enters an Alert Area, the system generates a notification once per detected flight per volume entry, ensuring clear, actionable awareness without alert fatigue.
• In-App & Email Notifications: Designated users receive immediate notification when a flight is detected within an Alert Area. Your security team, operations center, or incident commanders get timely visibility into potential airspace risks, whether they’re at their desk or responding in the field.
• Flexible 3D Airspace Definition: Define precise horizontal boundaries and altitude limits to monitor exactly the airspace that matters, from low-altitude sensitive zones to taller vertical volumes.
• Sensor-Agnostic Architecture: Alert Areas work across a growing portfolio of sensor integration partners and can support customers deploying new or existing sensors onto the AirHub platform, ensuring adaptability as detection capabilities evolve.

Alert Areas deliver a critical layer of operational awareness and proactive safety for organizations responsible for sensitive or high-risk airspace:

• Active Risk Management: Move from passive monitoring to real-time awareness of potential airspace incursions around critical infrastructure, facilities, events, and emergency response zones. Know what’s happening in your airspace as it happens—not after reviewing logs the next day.
• Improved Airspace Safety: Gain timely insight into drone activity that could impact operations, security, or public safety, enabling faster assessment and response. When your team receives an alert within seconds of an incursion, you have time to assess, coordinate, and respond appropriately—whether that means redirecting aircraft, pausing operations, or deploying security resources.
• Operational Confidence: Ensure stakeholders have a shared, consistent view of airspace activity, supporting informed decision-making during both planned and unplanned events. When your operations center, security command, and field teams all see the same alert simultaneously, coordination improves and response becomes seamless.

The developer says its product is designed for organisations where airspace awareness directly impacts safety, security, or operational continuity, such as state and local public safety and security organisations, utilities and infrastructure operators, organizations managing high-visibility events or facilities (stadiums, campuses, and restricted sites requiring heightened airspace awareness).

“Alert Areas are the foundation for a broader set of airspace security and operational awareness capabilities within AirHub Portal,” Dicks said.

“Planned enhancements include incursion analytics to identify patterns over time, in-app drone whitelisting to reduce false positives, and integration with the AirHub Portal live operations center display for centralized, real-time situational awareness.

“For FIFA World Cup host cities and other major event organizers: Airspace Link is actively supporting municipalities with Counter-UAS planning and federal funding applications.”