Release posted on 02-25-22 at 9:59 a.m

The Firestone Grand Prix of St. Petersburg is considered an international sporting event and heightened security plans are in place. This year we will be using an additional high-tech tool to improve safety for drivers, race crews and spectators.

St. Petersburg Police has partnered with Dedrone to be the first agency to use mobile drone detection technology. A drone that falls onto the racetrack could pose a deadly hazard to the racecars traveling at high speeds. While the race is a no-fly zone for drones, they are increasing in popularity and becoming more common.

Dedrone detects, identifies, and locates nearly 300 different drone types. It pinpoints the drone, the camera shows if it's carrying a suspicious load, and it also pinpoints the location of the pilot. It is already in use around the world at venues including airports, stadiums, and prisons, etc. What's different about the device at the Grand Prix, is that it is portable. This is Dedrone's first portable/mobile detection unit.

Links provided below for media use:

Drone detection demo video link: https://vimeo.com/dedrone/download/681440320/ec6cc260a6

Clips of Mobile drone detection tower at racetrack: https://youtu.be/A86kIEZlOlI

Other security measures include:

• On-site Event Control to address issues quickly.
• Four camera trailers and Skywatch monitoring the race site.
• St. Petersburg PD Marine Unit and U.S. Coast Guard monitoring the waterways near the track.
• Venue is swept every day with Bomb dogs and EOD (Explosive Ordinance Disposal) teams and every vehicle accessing the venue is checked.
• Assisting agencies include: FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force, FHP Hazardous Materials Team, 48th Civil Support WMD Unit, Unites States Coast Guard, FDLE, and Tampa PD.