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The NFL season is bringing a new defensive challenge beyond the field as teams confront unauthorized drones near packed stadiums. The Jacksonville Jaguars are preparing to activate technology designed to detect, track, control and safely land disruptive aircraft.

Last month, the Jaguars became the first NFL team to publicly announce an agreement with a drone defense company. Ondas owned Sentrycs will monitor the skies around EverBank Stadium during game days.

A Sentrycs representative told CNBC that the system will be activated for the first time Sunday before Jacksonville plays the New England Patriots. The technology adds an active mitigation capability to the stadium’s existing security strategy.

“As drones become increasingly accessible, we recognized the importance of moving beyond detection and adding an effective mitigation capability to our security strategy,” Jaguars Director of Events and Facilities Security Bobby Lyle said in an August news release.

The NFL, now in Week 3 of its 2026 regular season, told CNBC that it recorded 10,852 drone violations near stadiums between 2021 and 2025. Only a small number of those violations disrupted games, but previous incidents have forced officials to halt competition.

A 2025 playoff game in Baltimore between the Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers was paused after a drone flew overhead. The stadium experienced a similar incident in 2023.

The league previously could identify and track drones near its 30 stadiums. Newer systems can also intercept the communication link between an operator and a drone, take control of the aircraft and land it.

Sentrycs said it recently reached agreements with two other NFL teams, although CNBC could not confirm which franchises were involved. Earlier this month, the NFL and Major League Baseball sent the Department of Homeland Security a letter requesting more resources to protect players and fans.

“Unauthorized drone activity presents an ongoing and growing challenge,” the leagues said in the letter. The concern extends beyond football and reflects the growing use of relatively accessible aircraft around major public gatherings.

Sentrycs was among several companies contracted to prevent drone disruptions during the FIFA World Cup this past summer. The tournament included 104 matches across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, while the FBI reported about 700 instances of intercepting a drone during the four week event.

“What surprised us the most was the sheer number of drones in the air at one time,” Ondas founder and CEO Eric Brock said. Before the World Cup, the federal government provided state and local authorities about $250 million for drone defense.

Those resources and technological improvements can now support security at other large gatherings, including concerts and festivals. “Nobody worried about this a few years ago. Now everyone has to worry, and it’s happening very fast,” said Jason Moore, Sentrycs’ general manager for the U.S. and Canada.

Drone defense operators must complete special classes and receive certification through a federal program. Their systems combine hardware and software with optical equipment, radar, thermal technology and radio signals to identify potential threats.

“The system allows for the operator to detect and then take over the drone’s controls and to move it out of the way and land safely,” Moore said. The technology can also use radio frequencies to locate a pilot and notify police of the exact position.

With officers already on patrol, Brock said the period between detection and an officer reaching the operator could be as short as two minutes. While experts warn that civilian drones could carry explosives or chemical or biological agents, authorities and industry executives say annoyance and interruption are more common.

“In most cases drones are operated by people either not paying attention to or ignoring the rules,” said Kristian Brost, general manager of Robin Radar USA. The Netherlands based company also helped provide drone security during the World Cup.

Robin Radar operates equipment at two dozen European airports. About a dozen large European airports temporarily suspended flights because of drone incursions during the last year, according to findings from the European Commission and various media reports.

Drones are also creating problems for airplane pilots. This summer, a United Airlines pilot reported narrowly missing one at Newark Liberty International Airport, while a JetBlue pilot reported hitting one near John F. Kennedy International Airport during landing, with no injuries reported in either incident.

The Safer Skies Act took effect July 1 after Congress passed it in December and President Donald Trump signed it. The law is intended to permit state and local authorities to bring down drones encroaching on airports and major venues.

Operators generally focus on detection, identification, tracking and interdiction. Mary-Lou Smulders, a longtime drone defense executive who became an industry consultant, said disrupting the radio connection is usually the easiest and safest approach, though it can interfere with legitimate frequencies.

Israel Weapon Industries offers a different response through its Arbel technology, which allows a defender to shoot drones from the sky. The device fits most automatic rifles, including the AR-15, and is now part of drone defense at 20 European airports and 10 undisclosed U.S. sites.

DISCLAIMER: GoldInvestors.news is not a registered investment, legal or tax advisor or broker/dealer. All investment/financial opinions expressed by GoldInvestors.news are from the personal research and experience of the owner of the site and are intended as educational material. Although best efforts are made to ensure that all information is accurate and up to date, occasionally unintended errors and misprints may occur.