On Tuesday, the National Sports Security Laboratory (NSSL) at the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) tested and evaluated an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM).
The evaluation took place at M.M. Roberts Stadium on USM’s Hattiesburg campus and included a team of subject-matter experts in the field of sports safety and security, according to a university press release.
“When you have mass gatherings of people at large sporting events, we have to look at how that technology functions and operates and educate the end-users,” says Daniel Ward, director of the National Sports Security Laboratory. “That’s what we’re doing here.”
Other technologies that have been through the rigors of the NSSL include walk-thru metal detectors, explosive-detection canines, social media monitoring, and video surveillance, to name a few, says USM.
NCS4 is also hosting a UAV Innovation and Technology Forum on May 15-16 at USM. The event will “explore how UAV technology may influence the way we conduct our sport and entertainment safety and security operations in the future based on current and impending threats.”
During the forum, attendees will engage both the technology solution providers and security professionals in sharing a future direction of engaging best practices, lessons learned and the integration of technology to solve security issues, says USM. The forum will discuss technology barriers, case studies and implementation strategies. Additionally, attendees will observe the application of drone surveillance, detection and deterrence technologies during live demonstrations.
Approximately 60 thought leaders from professional sport venues, universities and colleges, open access events (such as marathons and festivals), academic institutions, major and special events, government, and public safety will gather to investigate the challenges and potential solutions for airspace security. More information can be found here.
