FAA Bans Use Of Drones Near Super Bowl In Phoenix
You won't be able to fly a drone anywhere near the Super Bowl on Sunday.
The FAA has imposed temporary restrictions around University of Phoenix Stadium, calling it a "No Drone Zone". All aircraft – manned or remotely controlled -- will be prohibited within 30 miles of the stadium from an hour before kickoff until well after the game ends.
The FAA released a video on Wednesday urging people not to bring their unmanned aircraft, saying it could spoil the game for others.
"Going to the big game? Have fun, cheer on your team and keep it a "no-drone zone". Don't spoil the game. Leave your drone at home."
The FAA said further in a statement, "…anyone violating the rules may be 'intercepted, detained and interviewed' by law enforcement or security personnel. Besides possibly landing a violator in jail, flying an unmanned aircraft over a crowded stadium could result in an FAA civil penalty for 'careless and reckless' operation of an aircraft."
President Obama called for more laws governing drones after one crashed at the White House on Monday. In an interview with CNN's Fareed Zakaria, Obama said: "You know that there are companies like Amazon that are talking about using small drones to deliver packages... There are incredibly useful functions that these drones can play in terms of farmers who are managing crops and conservationists who want to take stock of wildlife." Obama said. "But we don't really have any kind of regulatory structure at all for it."
The man who was piloting the drone reportedly lost control of the 2-foot wide quadcopter before it went down on the grounds. He called the Secret Service to report the incident.
