NCS4 Announces SkySafe as the 2026 Golden Eagle Award Recipient
Fri, 04/24/2026 - 09:09am | By: NCS4 Staff
(NCS4) at The University of 网曝吃瓜 has announced SkySafe as the 2026 Golden Eagle Award winner for its case study submission, 鈥淯niversity of Illinois Sets the Standard for Campus Drone Security.鈥�
The Golden Eagle Award recognizes excellence in system integration, architecture, engineering and/or construction (A/E/C) related to the safety and security of spectators, property and facility infrastructure.
鈥淭he Golden Eagle Award gives our community the opportunity to celebrate technologies, services and strategies that address security demands at sport and entertainment events,鈥� said Anthony Palazzolo, NCS4 manager of marketing and business development. 鈥淭he NCS4 is excited to recognize SkySafe with this year鈥檚 award.鈥�
鈥淪ecurity Magazine is proud to partner with NCS4 to present the Golden Eagle Award. This award recognizes the outstanding professionals who dedicate themselves to advancing safety and security across the sports and entertainment industry. We are honored to be a part of recognizing this year鈥檚 recipient,鈥� said Gary Merrill, executive director of the security sector for Security and SDM magazines.
Applicants from leading systems integration, architecture, design, engineering and consulting firms were invited to submit case studies of successful projects in which safety and security were central to planning and execution. The Golden Eagle Award winner was selected by a team of subject matter experts who reviewed all case studies and scored each submission on the following criteria:
- Solution relevance to the sport industry
- Solution effectiveness in solving the identified problem(s)
- Solution contribution to the balance of fan experience and safety/security
- Solution utilization of creativity, innovation and technology in a way that advances the industry
鈥淪kySafe is honored to receive the Golden Eagle Award from the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security,鈥� said Melissa Swisher, chief revenue officer at SkySafe. 鈥淎s drone activity increases and introduces new and evolving risks for stadiums and large-scale events, low-altitude airspace awareness has become a critical gap in event and venue security. This recognition reflects the importance of bringing real-time drone detection and airspace intelligence into modern security operations so personnel can detect, analyze and act on threats as they happen.鈥�
NCS4 congratulates the 2026 Golden Eagle Award recipient, SkySafe. The recipient will present its winning case study and be recognized at the awards luncheon during the , scheduled for June 23-25 in Palm Desert, Calif.
For more information about the conference or to register, visit the . For more information about the awards, visit the .
About the 17th Annual National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition
The National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition will be held June
23-25, 2026, at the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort and Spa in Palm Desert, Calif.
The conference will attract over 500 attendees and 70 exhibitors representing professional
sports, intercollegiate athletics, interscholastic athletics, marathon and endurance
events, sports and entertainment facilities, and those who provide safety and security
products and services to the industry. Visit the for more information.
About NCS4
Established in 2006, the is the nation鈥檚 only academic center devoted to the study and practice of sports
safety and security. The NCS4 is partially underwritten by grants from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The NCS4 mission focuses on three key pillars - Training and Education, Research, and Outreach.
Click for more information about NCS4 or call 601.266.6183.