FBI: World Cup drone seizures included real estate photographers, roofing inspectors

The FBI says some pilots told agents they were working, while others admitted they wanted aerial views of the stadium and World Cup crowds.

The FBI's Dallas Field Office says some of the drone pilots accused of violating airspace restrictions at FIFA World Cup matches told FBI agents they were taking real estate photos or conducting roofing inspections in neighborhoods inside the three-mile no-fly zone around AT&T Stadium in Arlington.

Others accused of operating in restricted airspace said they were trying to get a glimpse of the World Cup excitement, according to a top Dallas FBI official.

"Many of the operators have told us they're doing it to get an aerial view of the stadium, of the crowds, of the marches, just the environment of the World Cup because it's such a unique event," Kevin Vest, assistant special agent-in-charge of the Dallas Field Office, told NBC 5 Investigates.

FBI agents in Dallas seized at least 84 drones allegedly detected in restricted airspace near the stadium and the FIFA World Cup Fan Festival at Fair Park in Dallas.

Across the country, the FBI says it has seized more than 700 drones suspected of violating flight restrictions around World Cup events this summer, making it the largest federal drone enforcement effort yet.

The World Cup may be drawing fans eager to see every goal, march and celebration, but federal officials said drone pilots trying to get the ultimate overhead view are risking arrest or criminal charges.

Security rules put in place around the World Cup forbid flying within a three-mile radius around AT&T Stadium and within one mile of the Dallas Fan Festival. Federal agents used technology to detect drones and pinpoint their launch locations. Teams were then sent to find the drone pilot.

In Dallas, the fan festival continues Sunday with flight restrictions in place during the watch party for the World Cup Final, which will be played in New Jersey.

The larger three-mile no-fly zone around AT&T Stadium included many residential neighborhoods and businesses where drones may be used on a normal day for property photos or roofing inspections. But under federal law, all commercial and recreational drone pilots must check for temporary flight restrictions before they fly.

Aviation attorneys told NBC 5 Investigates that ignorance of the rules is not a strong defense.

"Nope. To be blunt, nope," said aviation attorney David Norton.

Norton said it only takes seconds for a drone pilot to find flight-restricted areas listed on the FAA's website, leaving him wondering why so many people did not seem to get the message about the World Cup restrictions.

"It does surprise me the number of people who would actually fly drones into sensitive areas like that around such major events," Norton said.

Two drone operators arrested in Arlington are now facing federal criminal charges.

Luis Mauricio Flores Ordonez is accused of operating a drone that was not properly registered within the three-mile restricted area around the stadium. His attorney did not immediately respond to questions.

Cristobal Torres Alvarez is accused of flying in the restricted stadium zone without permission or a drone license. His attorney declined to comment on the case, but on a GoFundMe page his family created, they wrote in Spanish that Alvarez was just flying near his house and did not know there would be restrictions due to the World Cup.

In court papers, the FBI alleges that both men charged were flying drones with a feature that alerts the pilot when they are in a flight-restricted area. Agents said the alert must be acknowledged before the drone can launch.

"Whenever we detect a drone, we will dispatch teams on the street to go encounter the pilot," Vest said.

Federal officials said that type of drone enforcement is likely to become the new norm at major sporting events across the country. NFL games already have similar flight restrictions, but the top White House official overseeing World Cup security told NBC 5 Investigates that lessons learned from intensive enforcement over the last month will shape future security plans.

"That's going to be something that long past the last goal is scored on July 19 that we're going to continue to have to focus on, whether it's for Cowboys games in Dallas or Longhorns games in Austin or Texans games in Houston or anywhere else in the country," said Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force.

In Dallas, the FBI told NBC 5 Investigates that none of the drones seized near World Cup events were carrying any sort of dangerous payload. That is the biggest safety concern -- that a drone could be used to drop explosives or a dangerous substance on a crowd.

The FBI said some drone operators will face civil penalties rather than criminal charges, with decisions made on a case-by-case basis depending on the circumstances and in consultation with federal prosecutors.