HOLMDEL, N.J. — AeroDefense announces that MetLife Stadium has selected the AirWarden drone detection system to provide an early warning system for drones.
MetLife Stadium is home to the NFL’s New York Jets and New York Giants and hosts many large-scale events including concerts, international soccer and college football games. The venue is near Teterboro Airport where there are significant FAA regulations that govern flying a drone.
In 2017, MetLife Stadium began to evaluate many different types of drone detection systems, including radar, radio frequency (RF), acoustic and camera systems, according to the announcement.
“RF is currently the best solution to identify where the drone and operator are, and the only one that we found that can detect the drone and controller when the RF connection is first established,” states Daniel DeLorenzi, vice president security and safety services at MetLife Stadium. “Therefore, it’s possible that we can detect the drone before it even takes off.”
Once a controller or drone is detected, AirWarden notifies stadium security staff so they can respond immediately. The system has been extensively tested in a stadium environment to ensure reliable detection and a low false-positive rate, according to the company.
“During NFL tailgating, the background RF noise at MetLife Stadium can be significantly greater than a normal urban environment. This is due to fans live-streaming television, using cell phones, dashcams, and even WiFi-enabled tailgating grills. So we’ve worked diligently with MetLife Stadium and our team of developers to optimize the detection capabilities of our AirWarden system,” says Linda Ziemba, founding CEO of AeroDefense.
As a result of the early warning provided by the AirWarden system, MetLife Stadium and local law enforcement have been able to interdict many different types of drones and create a safer and more secure environment.
