Queensland Police Deputy Commissioner Steve Gollschewski has confirmed they shot down an unauthorised drone flying close to a Commonwealth Games exclusion zone.
The incident, which occurred yesterday, gave the the security operation put in place for the event an early test after Gold Coast 2018 chairman Peter Beattie claimed the “safest place in Australia during the Games is actually going to be in the Games”.
The drone was not breaching the zone, Gollschewski said, but its operator has been reported to the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA).
Police were able to track the object through new technology established as part of security plans.
“Last night we detected an unmanned aerial system that was within a few hundred metres of one of the prescribed exclusion zones,” said Gollschewski.
“We were able to track down that operator and refer that matter to CASA for the breaches that have been committed by that person operating that unmanned aerial vehicle.
“The message is there, leave your drone at home, we will detect them and we will take action.”
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