A 'Shocking' Number Of Drones Were Seized Flying Near World Cup Stadiums

Even if FIFA and the World Cup were foreign concepts a few weeks ago, you're likely in on it now. The U.S. team is still playing, Boston has restocked its stores of beer, and social media is chock-full of videos of visitors enjoying Ranch dressing, unlimited soda refills, our enormous sports stadiums and, of course, Buc-ee's. The joyous energy of our World Cup visitors is contagious, even if you're not a fan of soccer. You can appreciate the spectacle at home from the comfort of your couch or, if you're lucky enough, from a seat in the stadium. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) wants fans to remember, however, that flying a drone over a stadium to catch a game is strictly prohibited.

When a match is underway at an official venue, the surrounding airspace is restricted under an exhaustive security operation that includes not only the TSA and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), but also the Department of Homeland Security, the FBI and the White House FIFA World Cup Task Force in cooperation with state and local law enforcement. During World Cup events, drones are not allowed within a three-mile radius of stadiums and up to 3,000 feet above them, along with additional restrictions that cover fan areas. There are still weeks of matches ahead, with the World Cup running through July 19, and the TSA has already seized more than 300 drones that entered these restricted areas, a number that one security official described to ABC as "quite shocking actually". Here's what drone owners should know, and what penalties drone operators may face if they don't follow the rules.

We don't know whether all the drone operators were deliberately ignoring the restricted airspace regulations. Some incursions may have been accidental, and the operator simply wasn't aware of the restrictions. The head of the White House World Cup Task Force, Andrew Giuliani, told ABC News that every World Cup match in the U.S. has "counter-drone mitigation protection," as does every fan event. This means that every unidentified drone illegally entering air space near these events will be treated as a potential threat.

Drone operators should adhere to the three-mile, 3,000-foot restriction around stadiums, along with one-mile and 1,000-foot restrictions surrounding fan gatherings. If your drone enters these spaces without approval, you may face a fine of up to $100,000, along with potential criminal charges. Your drone may also be confiscated. If you think you won't get caught, remember that the FBI is monitoring stadiums specifically to detect and disable drones. The FBI Miami office even issued a warning on Facebook, alerting drone operators that they could face up to one year in prison for flying a drone near a World Cup event.

According to the FAA, anyone flying a drone must fly within the administration's guidelines and regulations and be aware of the "rules of the sky." Ignorance is never an acceptable excuse, so before you put a drone in the air, do your research and follow all regulations.