Law enforcement officials overseeing security for Sunday's Super Bowl in Santa Clara, California, say they are prepared to take decisive measures if unauthorized aircraft violate restricted airspace over the stadium, CBS News reported.
That includes shooting down drones, according to police.
Santa Clara Police Chief Cory Morgan said authorities have layered defenses in place to counter drone threats at one of the world's highest-profile sporting events.
"Everything from ground intercept teams to contact the pilot on the ground to redirecting it, landing it or even shooting it down depending on the circumstances," Morgan said.
Officials warn that rapid advancements in drone technology, particularly in drones seen in overseas conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and fighting in the Middle East, have made aerial threats more sophisticated and harder to detect.
Retired Army Col. Bill Edwards, who runs counterdrone training for a Washington, D.C.-based technology firm, said it would be naive to think drones won't be flown near the game.
"We have to expect it at every major event that's happening in the country," Edwards told CBS News.
Edwards, who has trained major police departments including the New York Police Department, pointed to fiber-optic drones as a growing concern. Unlike conventional drones, they can evade radar and electronic detection systems.
"It's promulgating the technology's capability 20 years into the future — now," he said. "The threat level has increased a hundredfold."
Federal agencies are heavily involved.
The FBI is using congressionally authorized tools to detect, track and assess unauthorized drones, with FBI and FAA personnel deployed full-time for the Super Bowl.
The event is among a small number nationwide to receive full federal counterdrone protection.
The FAA last week announced strict flight restrictions — no-drone zones — for the game, banning drones within a 30-mile radius of the stadium up to 18,000 feet in altitude.
Additional restrictions apply to Super Bowl-related events throughout the week.
"The FAA will take decisive action against drone operators who ignore safety rules or operate without authorization," said FAA chief counsel Liam McKenna.
Unauthorized drone operators who enter restricted airspace could face fines of up to $75,000, seizure of their equipment, and potential federal criminal charges.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.