In part, Senator Cotton said:
“There aren’t enough FBI agents and Homeland Security officers to protect it. So this legislation will empower state and local authorities with training from the federal government to, say, protect the airspace over Razorback Stadium or protect the airspace for a Buffalo Bills game.”
Senator Cotton’s full interview may be found here and below.
Nicole Sganga: Drones hovering above. For years, local police could see them but not stop them. In their last two playoff seasons, the NFL’s Baltimore Ravens saw games disrupted by rogue drones flying near M&T Bank Stadium, and in 2023, a swarm of unidentified drones breached skies above Langley Air Force Base, putting the Pentagon on alert.
Senator Gillibrand: When we had multiple, day-after-day drone incursions over Langley, it created huge concern, and it’s what got me so focused on this issue, because we didn’t have the policy in place to take them down.
Nicole Sganga: Senators Tom Cotton and Kirsten Gillibrand, leading Republican and Democratic voices on drone threats, say the new defense bill, signed into law by President Trump Thursday night, closes a dangerous security gap, creating a pathway to train local law enforcement to disable threatening drones.
Senator Cotton: There aren’t enough FBI agents and Homeland Security officers to protect it. So this legislation will empower state and local authorities with training from the federal government to, say, protect the airspace over Razorback Stadium or protect the airspace for a Buffalo Bills game.
Nicole Sganga: According to the NFL, since 2017, drone incursions over football games have increased by more than 20,000 percent, inspiring companies like D-Fend Solutions.
Zohar Halachmi: Right now, these drones are accessible to everyone. In order for you to get a drone, all you need is a credit card and an internet connection.
Nicole Sganga: CEO Zohar Halachmi gave us an inside look at the sophisticated counter-drone technology.
Zohar Halachmi: When we see drones, what we actually see is a virus—a virus with wings—and what we actually developed is an antivirus. It’s a cyber technique that enables us to detect those drones and penetrate into them.
Nicole Sganga: That cyber technique enabling operators like [operator name] to take remote control of a rogue drone and reroute it safely.
Drone Operator: As it hits around 2.5 kilometers, we can take over the drone and actually tell the drone where to land in a safe area.
Nicole Sganga: Disabling aircraft without shooting them down, jamming signals, or tipping off the pilot.
Drone Operator: So everything that we’re doing is invisible to the pilot. The only thing the pilot will see is that he got disconnected from his drone.
Nicole Sganga: Lawmakers hope new counter-drone technology also won’t tip off the fans. Do you think the public will notice a difference?
Senator Gillibrand: Hopefully not. Hopefully they will be blissfully unaware and delighted to be watching the Bills or watching some other great team.
Nicole Sganga: When it comes to countering drones, are we at the finish line, or are we at the kickoff?
Senator Cotton: Maybe the 40-yard line. The administration has six months to get all the training in place and then to help state and local law enforcement start using the technology to protect large gatherings and critical infrastructure. So I’d say we’re at least moving into field goal territory.
Nicole Sganga: Ahead of the World Cup and Olympics, a small win for the home team, or at least the Homeland Security team. For CBS Saturday Morning, I’m Nicole Sganga in Washington.