Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

FBI Confiscates Six Drones Near Super Bowl Stadium (reuters.com)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the zone-defense dept.

The FBI confiscated six drones in Atlanta for flying too close to the football stadium where the Super Bowl will be played Sunday, Reuters reports: Drone flight was prohibited on Saturday and from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. EST on Sunday for one nautical mile (2 km) around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium and up to an altitude of 1,000 feet (305 meters), the Federal Aviation Administration said. The FAA will establish temporary flight restriction that prohibits drones within a 30-nautical-mile radius of the stadium and up to 17,999 feet in altitude from 5:30 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, the agency said. ..

Drones "are a big concern," said Nick Annan, Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge. "There are a few other things that are in place to mitigate drones," he added without elaborating. Operators who send drones into restricted areas around the Mercedes-Benz Stadium could face more than $20,000 in civil penalties and criminal prosecution, according to the FAA.
Drone pilots are advised to check the FAA's B4UFly app to check when and where they can fly -- and the aviation agency has also produced a slick 20-second video "encouraging Super Bowl fans to bring their lucky jerseys, face paint and team spirit to the game -- but leave their drones at home -- because the stadium and the area around it is a No Drone Zone."

3 of 146 comments (clear)

  1. Super Bowl? by 110010001000 · · Score: 3, Funny

    What is this Super Bowl thing you are talking about? You mean the handegg game? You shouldn't call it football!

    -- Insufferable Eurosnob

    1. Re:Super Bowl? by Brett+Buck · · Score: 1, Funny

      Yes, it's all the rage among the neckbeard crowd to be enamored of all things European. The best one-size-too-small Fedoras come from there, you know. Of course, they will never go there - United charges them for two seats due to their, uh, "glandular condition". Thus saving some trapped normal from a 7-hour discussion of how Star Wars technology would curbstomp the Federation.

      Of course, they prefer "futbol" AKA "kicking the ball and pretending to be hurt" over real football - despite never having played either.

  2. Thank God by Patent+Lover · · Score: 4, Funny

    Thank God the U.S. military and FBI are protecting the most important institution this country has.