Cobb County is cashing in on a major federal security grant that will roll out countywide drone-detection technology and tighten event security ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. County leaders say the money will pay for sensors, Drone as First Responder docks and upgrades to the Real Time Crime Center that will be used at training fields and fan sites across the area.
Grant size and purpose
The Cobb Police Department was notified it would receive nearly $10.7 million to acquire counter-unmanned aircraft systems and related training, according to GovTech. Officials say the award is intended to strengthen drone detection and mitigation at large events and to protect critical infrastructure beyond the World Cup window.
What the grant will buy
County documents spell out a serious tech shopping list: fixed-site drone-detection antennas, portable RF receivers, infrared and electro-optical cameras, radar panels and approved mitigation technologies, along with Drone as First Responder (DFR) docks and the infrastructure to operate them. As the county put it, the systems are meant to “detect, track, identify and mitigate hostile drones,” according to GovTech.
Where the gear will be staged
Officials expect to deploy the equipment around training hubs and high-traffic sites tied to the tournament, including practice fields in Marietta and Kennesaw, as well as area airports and stadium approaches. The Cobb Board of Commissioners unanimously approved accepting more than $10.6 million in federal funds to install the systems, as reported by WSB-TV.
FBI partnership and training
Cobb County has agreed to participate in an FBI counter-UAS task force that coordinates local, state and federal partners on drone threats. CBS Atlanta reports Lieutenant Justin Bullis said Cobb has joined the task force alongside state agencies and that four officers recently completed FBI counter-UAS training to operate the new systems.
Money beyond drone tech
The county’s emergency management office also received a separate $1.7 million award for safety expenses such as overtime and equipment ahead of the tournament. “We’re looking at an X-ray system for the bomb team,” Cassie Mazloom told CBS Atlanta, noting plans also include mounted patrol gear and cooling stations for large events.
How long the coverage runs
The federal package covers software, maintenance, licensing and warranties for the systems for an initial five-year period, and county staff say ongoing maintenance after that would be absorbed into the police budget. That five-year window and the lack of matching-fund requirements were called out in county materials and reported by WSB-TV.
National backdrop
Local preparations come as the federal government and interagency task forces expand counter-UAS training and approvals for state and local partners ahead of major events. The FBI has described a National Counter-UAS Training Center and coordinated task forces designed to certify and advise local agencies preparing for high-profile events, according to the FBI.
County officials say the investments aim to protect residents and visitors while letting Cobb host training camps and fan activities tied to the World Cup. Deployment, personnel certification and systems testing are expected to continue through the tournament this summer and into routine event operations afterward.
