FAA Announces First Ever Drone-Specific Airspace Restrictions

On April 7, 2017, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced that it would use its preexisting authority under 14 C.F.R. § 99.7 to "address national security concerns about unauthorized drone operations over 133 military facilities." The new restrictions seek to keep unauthorized drone operators from flying in, near, or over military facilities. Failure to comply with the restrictions could result in civil and criminal penalties. Generally speaking, drone operators are required to adhere to a plethora of airspace restrictions when flying near populated areas and/or airports. The FAA's recent announcement effectively extends these rules to the airspace near these 133 military facilities. In the new restrictions, the FAA and the Department of Defense (DOD) have agreed to restrict drone flights up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of these 133 facilities. To see the actual affected areas, the FAA and DOD have created this interactive map for operators to