Hoping to buzz Tom Brady with a drone during the Super Bowl? Too bad. On Wednesday, the FAA deemed University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, as a "No Drone Zone" during the big game. Apparently, the agency doesn't want a repeat of what happened at the White House, when a small civilian-operated drone crashed into a tree on the presidential South Lawn.
"Many familiar sounds are associated with the Super Bowl," the FAA wrote. "Cheering fans. Referee whistles ... But one sound you shouldn’t hear is the whirring of an unmanned aircraft overhead." The agency also produced a YouTube video encouraging fans to "leave your drone at home." The FAA airspace restriction also goes for airplanes, hang gliders, hot air balloons, model rockets and any pretty much any other conceivable flying machine. Anyone caught breaking the "No Drone Zone" could end up in jail for "careless and reckless" operation of an aircraft.
IN-DEPTH
- Inside Drone School: How to Fly an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
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- The Flying of Unauthorized Drones at Stadiums Prompts Safety Concerns (Washington Post)
