As football fans prepare for Super Bowl 50, the FAA is making preparations of its own for the big day, threatening to shoot down any unauthorized drones that fly within 36 miles of Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. This news comes as the FAA takes an increasingly militant stance on recreational drone usage in the U.S.
The no-fly zone encompasses nearly all of San Francisco to the north and west, Santa Cruz, Morgan Hill and Gilroy to the south, and San Jose and Pleasanton to the north and east.
The temporary flight restrictions don't just apply to drones but to other forms of aircraft as well. They will be in place from 2:00 PM through 11:59 PM local time on Sunday, and violators could face civil penalties and criminal charges, the FAA warned, noting that the government officials may use deadly force against the airborne aircraft, if it is determined that the aircraft poses an imminent security threat.
To show just how serious they are, "the FAA has produced a 20-second video that tells people to bring their lucky jerseys, face paint and team spirit to the game - but leave their drones at home because the stadium is a No Drone Zone."
“With so many drones being sold for recreational use, we want to do everything we can to get the word out that the game is a No Drone Zone,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “We’re working closely with our safety and security partners to spread this message as widely as possible.”
This mandate mirrors one issued during last year's Super Bowl in Phoenix, Ariz., though at the time FAA didn't require recreational drones to be registered. With that in mind, now that the FAA requires owners to register their drones - it would make even less sense to fly the drone in either case. If you choose to fly an unregistered drone nearby during the Super Bowl, you break the law two times with one act. On the other hand, if the drone is registered, the FAA can track you via identifiable information the drone carries.
