Dallas FBI trying to drive drone offenses down during FIFA World Cup events

As the FBI ramps up enforcement against unauthorized drones near World Cup venues, a North Texas drone pilot is urging fellow operators to know the rules before taking flight.

Seth Brooks remembers attaching a camera to a model rocket when he was 18, trying to get a snapshot from above.

"It took a terrible picture from 300-400 feet," he said. "And I think that's really when this all started. I was always interested in seeing things from above and getting a different perspective."

Brooks is now 42-years-old. He uses drones in his roofing business, photography and the flying gadgets bring in income, too. He is The Dallas Drone Guy.

"And so when these came out, and I learned that I can have full control up, down, left, and I can really capture the action just the way the helicopters do in the movies," he said. "I can do it right here in the palm of my hand. I fell in love with it."

Brooks said he made sure he became an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot. It allows him to fly drones for both hobby and commercial purposes.

"So even if you wanted to break the rules, I really don't recommend it," he said.

Dallas FBI works to keep drones away from World Cup, fan venues

That recommendation, in general, is coming from the FAA, too. In the meantime, the Dallas FBI is busy trying to keep drones out of the sky around FIFA venues like Dallas Stadium and the FIFA Fan Festival. According to Special Agent in Charge R. Joseph Rothrock, they have seized 54 drones, primarily outside three soccer matches and in the fan area at Fair Park, since June 11.

"The commonality here seems to be that they don't understand that these temporary flight restrictions exist, and they don't understand their obligation to check for those temporary flight restrictions before operating their drone," Rothrock said.

Prior to, during, and until a designated time after the matches, the FAA issues a temporary flight restriction. From the Dallas Stadium, an unauthorized aircraft cannot come within three nautical miles or fly 3,000 feet ground-to-air. In the area of the FIFA Fan Festival, it's 400 feet.

"And so we will treat every drone as a threat until we know that it's not," he said. "We don't know when we initially detect a drone, whether it's an enthusiast or whether it represents a threat."

Rothrock said his agents, state and local law enforcement, meet each drone with a significant response until they can make an assessment. So far, one person has been arrested: Honduran national Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez.

The 33-year-old, according to federal documents, flew his drone around Dallas Stadium on June 14, right before Japan took on the Netherlands.

Rothrock said there is no specific type of offender, such as a foreign visitor unaware of American laws. He said their investigations continue, and so does their counter-drone program, which the government has trained law enforcement for the World Cup and beyond.

He said drone confiscations are ongoing. Rothrock said the fines are stiff, too.

Brooks recalled $100,000 for criminal offenders who flew drones into forbidden airspace. He said trying to get away is nearly impossible because the drone leaves so much information in the air.

"This information includes your altitude, your telemetry data, how much battery you have left, and yes, the phone number and email that was used to register the drone," Brooks said.

The FBI is also asking fans to report offenders.