[Scan-DC] Anti-drone tech to enforce no-fly zone over Pope's events
Alan Henney
alan at henney.com
Fri Aug 24 00:14:55 EDT 2018
Irish Independent
August 23, 2018 Thursday
Edition 1;
National Edition
Anti-drone tech to enforce no-fly zone over Pope's events
BYLINE: Ralph Riegel; Tom Brady ; Shane Phelan
SECTION: NEWS; Pg. 6
LENGTH: 576 words
SPECIAL anti-drone technology will be deployed for the first time at a
major public event in Ireland to ensure crowd security during the visit of
Pope Francis this weekend.
The Pope will attend major open-air ceremonies in Croke Park on Saturday,
as well as Knock and the Phoenix Park on Sunday.
Senior Garda officers say there is no perceived terrorist threat to the
Pope's visit, although they are conscious of the spate of attacks elsewhere
in which drones were used.
The most high-profile incident occurred on August 4 when a commercial
drone, packed with explosives, was used in Venezuela in a failed attempt to
assassinate President Nicolás Maduro.
Footage of the drone explosion during a military parade in Caracas made
world headlines.
Drone attacks have also occurred in North Africa and the Middle East.
However, gardaí are more concerned about public security issues over the
illegal use of drones over crowded areas, with concern particularly focused
on the possibility of an out-ofcontrol drone plummeting into a packed
congregation.
Furthermore, the organisers of events around the visit of Pope Francis do
not want special ceremonies disrupted by low-flying drones being used to
obtain photographs or video.
Strict no-fly zones will be in operation around both Croke Park and the
Phoenix Park.
To enforce this rule, special technology will be deployed which allows
rogue drones both to be disabled and captured.
Such technology received its debut in Ireland in April 2017 when golfer
Rory McIlroy hired the firm Drone Defence to ensure aerial security over
Cong Castle, where his wedding reception was taking place.
Anti-drone technology allows for rogue drones to be identified immediately
before they enter forbidden airspace.
Advanced computer and radio frequency scanning systems then allow the drone
to be remotely "taken over" by security personnel and safely landed.
If that fails to halt the drone, special systems are then deployed whereby
a security drone drops netting over the rogue drone to ground it.
Rogue drones have already proven to be a problem in Ireland, with Cork
Airport having to temporarily halt flight operations last year when a small
commercial drone flew over parts of its facility. In 2017, a total of 95
complaints were lodged with gardaí over drone use.
Meanwhile, all Garda leave has been effectively cancelled for officers in
the Dublin metropolitan region over the weekend. Officers from all ranks
have been requested to make Gardaí say there is no perceived terrorist
threat to the Pope's visit themselves available for duty on Saturday and
Sunday.
An estimated 2,500 gardaí will be involved in the massive policing
operation.
The biggest deployment will be required in the Phoenix Park on Sunday for
the papal Mass, with 700 officers on duty inside the event area and another
900 positioned outside to help the public to get into and out of the park.
Gardaí will be backed up by more than 7,000 volunteers and another 1,600
stewards, with a 1,000-strong medical team on stand-by for what is being
described as the biggest event in Europe this year.
People attending in the Phoenix Park can expect to have their bags
inspected and some will be selected for "pat down" searches. Gardaí will
also be observing for people bringing prohibited items, such as banners,
air horns and selfie sticks. Gardaí will also be out in force on Saturday
around Croke Park and along the route taken by Pope Francis as he travels
through the city.
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