A pilot is facing charges after flying a drone into Lumen Field in Seattle during last week’s Seahawks Super Bowl victory celebration — an incident that underscores growing concerns about drone threats as Seattle prepares to host 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
KOMO News reported that at least 30 drones were spotted flying over last Wednesday’s parade through Seattle, which attracted hundreds of thousands of fans along the route from the stadium to Belltown.
The King County Sheriff’s Office told GeekWire that seven pilots were contacted the day of the parade. One pilot ignored warnings and continued to fly his drone into Lumen, despite temporary flight restrictions in place.
The pilot is facing reckless endangerment charges from the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and potential federal charges and fines for flying into an airspace restricted by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Officials in Washington state are especially concerned about drone activity ahead of the World Cup and Seattle’s role hosting matches at Lumen Field. The Washington National Guard hosted a FIFA Field Ready Range Day last week at Joint Base Lewis-McChord to help prepare for countering unmanned aerial system threats. It also held a Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (CUAS) Summit last fall that included a simluation of a coordinated drone attack on Lumen Field during a soccer match.
The National Guard has voiced support for a proposed Washington state law, HB 2462, that would formalize the state’s role in counter-drone operations.
KOMO says it was granted a waiver by the FAA to fly its own drone during the Seahawks parade to capture video.
