The 110th playing of Canada’s National Men’s Open Championship was underway this summer, with elite athletes competing and spectators cheering on the grand prize winner, Rory McIlroy. Thousands filtered in and out of Hamilton Golf & Country Club over the course of the four-day event, and while moving on the ground was monitored, event organizers had an automatic airspace security system installed to ensure their operations was uninterrupted from drone activity.

Hamilton Police Service established a drone detection strategy to ensure drones did not threaten spectators, distract play or record unauthorized footage of the televised event. Watch more from Mohawk College, Hamilton PD, and Dedrone how our RF sensors were deployed at the event and collected data for the security team.

The RBC Canadian Open airspace security system deployed four of Dedrone’s radio frequency sensors to detect and classify drones up to one mile away, feeding information into its DroneTracker software platform. Hamilton Police invited staff and students from Mohawk College to install and operate the system. Data from DroneTracker provided all parties involved with situational awareness and enabled law enforcement and security personnel to monitor the airspace and protect against any unwanted drone threats. ‍

On installation day, Dedrone and Mohawk College immediately detected drones in the airspace. Hamilton Police Service was able to deploy resources to confront a drone pilot. The pilot was then educated about the risks of flying in a no-fly zone during tournament play and let off with a warning. This community outreach and education proved effective as there were no additional unauthorized drone flights throughout the four-day event. 

More on the Dedrone installation at the RBC Canadian Open can be found here.