How Advanced Radar Fortifies Event Security
As public events grow in size and complexity, so do the threats that surround them. Among the most urgent and rapidly evolving are aerial threats from unmanned aerial systems (UAS), or drones. Small, inexpensive, and easy to operate, drones have emerged as a new risk factor for event organizers and public safety agencies, especially when it comes to large-scale events like stadium sporting events, music festivals, political rallies, and parades.
To stay ahead of these challenges, law enforcement and private security teams are turning to multi-layered surveillance strategies, at the center of which is advanced radar.
Drone Threats Are Escalating at Large Events
Unauthorized drone activity at public gatherings is more common than ever. In 2023, the NFL reported 2,845 unauthorized drone incursions into restricted airspace during games—up from 2,537 the year prior. At a Green Day concert in 2024, an overhead drone paused the show for 10 minutes while security assessed the threat, leading to the operator’s detention and potential fines of up to $30,000.
While these incidents ended without harm, they raise urgent questions: What if the drone carried a payload? What if the operator had malicious intent? What if first responders were unable to act in time?
The risks are amplified by legal limitations. Current FAA regulations prohibit local law enforcement from intercepting or disabling drones in flight—even if the threat is clear and immediate. That makes early detection and rapid situational awareness not just important, but essential.
The Foundation of Multi-Layered Event Security
Security leaders are increasingly adopting multi-layered drone detection strategies that integrate radar, optical, and RF sensors. While each sensor type plays a role, radar is the foundational sensing layer—able to detect and track objects regardless of lighting, weather, or whether the drone is emitting a signal.
Echodyne’s EchoGuard® and EchoShield® radars are purpose-built for these exact conditions:
- Compact and portable, ideal for short-term, temporary event deployments
- High accuracy (<1° angular precision), enabling real-time camera cueing
- Wide field of view (up to 120° x 80°), covering large areas with minimal infrastructure
- All-weather operation, unaffected by darkness, fog, or rain
- High-speed updates (10 Hz), allowing steady tracks on fast or erratic drones
Together, these features enable radar to serve as the “eyes” of the event perimeter, constantly scanning the sky for potential threats and triggering rapid response protocols when needed.
Detecting the Drones That Evade Other Systems
Many drone detection tools rely on a drone’s RF signal—but bad actors are increasingly deploying “dark drones” that emit no such signal. Others depend on visual surveillance, which can be disrupted by low lighting, crowding, or poor weather.
Radar fills these gaps by detecting all moving objects, regardless of signal or visibility. With micro-Doppler classification, Echodyne radars like EchoGuard® can not only detect a drone but determine its movement profile, distinguishing it from birds, balloons, or debris. This significantly reduces false alarms and allows teams to focus attention only on legitimate threats.
Supporting Smarter, Faster Response
Radar alone isn’t the endgame. When integrated into a command-and-control (C2) system with RF and optical sensors, radar acts as the trigger for a more intelligent response network.
For example:
- Radar detects an object and instantly classifies it as a drone.
- Cameras slew to the exact location using the radar’s precise angular data.
- Command centers receive visual confirmation while the object remains under radar lock.
- Ground teams are dispatched if the threat escalates.
This seamless, real-time collaboration only works if the radar can provide precise, high-speed data—something high-performance radar is built to do.
Built for the Realities of Public Safety
Echodyne’s radars are not just high-performing—they’re field-tested, portable, and scalable. That means they can be:
- Mounted on tripods or vehicles for pop-up security perimeters—perfect for temporary event installations
- Integrated with fixed infrastructure at stadiums or convention centers
- Deployed by law enforcement and returned to a central location post-event
Their solid-state design (meaning they have no moving parts) ensures durability, and their easy setup enables deployment on short timelines without the need for extensive support teams.
Today, radar provides what event security leaders need most: time. Time to assess, time to escalate, time to evacuate, and time to protect. It enables defensive action that preserves public safety, even in the absence of legal authority to mitigate airborne threats.
Tomorrow, as regulations shift to allow mitigation at the local level, only precision radar data will be trusted to guide safe and lawful countermeasures—without risking collateral damage to infrastructure, bystanders, or airspace integrity.
In a world where drone threats are increasingly common (and increasingly sophisticated), event organizers and public safety agencies need detection systems they can trust. Radar delivers the reliability, accuracy, and coverage that makes the rest of a multi-sensor solution work.
Whether you’re managing a music festival, a national sporting event, or a high-profile political gathering, Echodyne radars provide the real-time aerial awareness you need to protect what matters most.
1 Rob Maaddi, “Goodell Speaks to Congress About the Security Issues of Drones on NFL Game Days, AP Source Says,” Associated Press, December 3, 2024. [2] Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), “Can I Fly a Model Aircraft or UAS over a Stadium or Sporting Events for Hobby or Recreation?” Frequently Asked Questions.
2 Jack Irvin, “Green Day Abruptly Exits Stage at Detroit Tour Stop Due to Unauthorized Flying Drone Overhead, Operator Detained,” People, September 6, 2024.