By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, Feb 6 (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration said on Friday it is stepping up enforcement for unsafe and unauthorized drone operations including flights near major sporting events ahead of Sunday’s Super Bowl LX in Santa Clara, California.
The FBI is using federally authorized capabilities to detect, track, and assess unauthorized drone activity, with personnel from the FBI and FAA deployed full-time to identify such operations.
The Super Bowl is one of just a few events where the FBI uses counter-drone protection. U.S. officials have raised increasing concerns about the potential for drones to be used for attacks at major upcoming events like the 2026 World Cup.
The FAA said last week it was barring drones within a 30-mile radius of the stadium up to 18,000 feet during the Super Bowl and imposing other restrictions at events this week tied to the game.
“The FAA will take decisive action against drone operators who ignore safety rules or operate without authorization,” said FAA chief counsel Liam McKenna.
The FAA recently updated its enforcement policy to require legal action when drone operations endanger the public, violate airspace restrictions, or are conducted in furtherance of a crime.
Despite hundreds of reported yearly incidents, there are few FAA enforcement actions. There have been 3,000 drone events at American airports alone since 2021.
Since 2023, the FAA has levied fines for 18 operations with violations, including $20,371 for operating a drone in restricted airspace near President Donald Trump’s Florida residence Mar-a-Lago in January 2025 and $14,790 for a drone near the 2023 Super Bowl in Arizona.
(Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Nia Williams)
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