SkySafe and University of Illinois Extend Partnership, Safeguarding Major Sporting Events from Drone Disruptions

We are proud to announce that SkySafe has been awarded a two-year renewal agreement from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to continue its work to help combat drone threats and protect the lives of spectators, students, student-athletes, and first responders. This University's renewal highlights the company's crucial role in campus safety and airspace management.

SkySafe's cloud-based drone detection technology provides the University of Illinois with a comprehensive solution for event security and airspace management, addressing the growing challenge of unregulated small drone usage. The system enables the University to identify, track, and analyze drone activity, enhancing overall campus safety and security.

"Our solution has given the University of Illinois comprehensive situational awareness across campus, accurately pinpointing both drones and their operators with near-perfect precision."
- Melissa Swisher, Chief Revenue Officer at SkySafe.

"We're excited to strengthen our partnership with the University of Illinois in addressing the challenges posed by evolving drone threats," said Melissa Swisher, Chief Revenue Officer at SkySafe. "SkySafe's technology supports their efforts to manage increasing drone incidents and significantly improves campus safety."

The SkySafe system also offers early detection and warning capabilities, allowing security teams to identify potential airspace violations at high-profile events like football games before they occur. When drones do violate game day airspace, SkySafe enables swift, accurate, and repeatable actions to be taken, ensuring consistent and effective responses for security teams. By preventing disruptions, the system safeguards public safety, operational efficiency, as well as valuable broadcasting rights for major networks like CBS and ESPN. The company's multifaceted approach not only bolsters security but also mitigates financial risks associated with game postponements, making SkySafe a strategic asset for modern event and game day management.

In the last year, SkySafe has provided the university visibility into over 7,500 drone flights in its airspace. In September, with approximately 60,000 spectators gathered for a football game, a nefarious flight was detected, which led to the arrest of the drone operator. Through SkySafe's drone detection and advanced forensics, the University was able to provide documentation and drone details which led to the prosecution of the drone operator.

Learn more about how SkySafe is enhancing campus security and spectator safety with drone detection software, please visit: https://www.skysafe.io/industries/universities-stadiums.

To hear more from the University's security team, watch our fireside chat.