As FAA-Certified Drone pilots, Websavvy promotes flying within FAA regulations. We have lot of conversations with other drone pilots who fly recreationally, and many of them ask us if they can do “this” or “that.” One question we get a lot is about flying over stadiums with their drone. We’re not talking about NFL, MLB or a Taylor Swift concert. We’re talking about high school football or lacrosse games. By the way, you can absolutely forget about flying over a “real” stadium: there are TFR’s in place at all those events (Temporary Flight Restrictions) that cover the airspace up to 300o feet and 3 statute miles.
Drones over “real” stadiums
If you’d like to fly over a “real” stadium, you need to be with the media or law enforcement and you must have a remote pilot certificate in addition to a certificate of authorization. As well, you need a certain category of drone, and many consumer drones do not fall into the proper categories. As such, flying drones over stadiums, even your local high school stadium is laden with risk. This is important, because we also get clients who want us to film the local football game from the sky.
Below are some of the current guidelines that pertain to flying drones over stadiums or any large assemblage of people:
Operations over people are permitted subject to the following requirements:
- Category 1 small unmanned aircraft are permitted to operate over people, provided the small unmanned aircraft:
- Weigh 0.55 pounds or less, including everything that is on board or otherwise attached to the aircraft at the time of takeoff and throughout the duration of each operation.
- Contain no exposed rotating parts that would cause lacerations.
In addition, for Category 1 operations, no remote pilot in command may operate a small unmanned aircraft in sustained flight over open-air assemblies unless the operation is compliant with Remote ID.
So, let’s untangle this a little.
- One of our drones weighs 249 grams, but is not classified as category “1.” It also has exposed props, which can indeed lacerate skin. We can put prop guards on it, but then it weighs more than 249 grams. That breaks the FAA rule. Dammit.
- Another one of our drones weighs more than 249 grams, and also has exposed props. It is also not considered Category 1.
- Both drones are remote-id equipped when that becomes a requirement (June 2023, but that could change)
In Conclusion
So, in short, if you have an approved Category 1 drone with Remote ID, you can, in fact, perform open-air, sustained flights over people, including non-TFR smaller stadiums (unless the school has a problem with it. Different topic…). If you’re trying to do the same thing over the Philadelphia Eagles game, well, ya can’t. Not to mention you’re in Class B airspace right near the Philly airport.
What we have been able to do, however, is operate outside the smaller stadiums and get great shots of the stadium without actually being in the stadium.
Websavvy and our sister company, Skysavvy, continues to build our fleet around different drone categories so we can expand our service offering. Meanwhile, learn more about our drone services!