By David Shepardson
WASHINGTON, Jan 30 (Reuters) – The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Friday said it was barring drones for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California and imposing additional restrictions in downtown San Francisco during the days leading up to the National Football League’s championship game.
The Super Bowl is one of just a few events where the FBI uses counter-drone protection. The restrictions bar drones within a 30-mile radius of the stadium up to 18,000 feet during the Super Bowl.
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 Super Bowl is one of a small number of events where the FBI has counter-drone protection. In 2024 , it was only used in about 0.05% of 90,000 events.
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 drone activity, the agencies said Friday.
Drone operators entering restricted airspace without authorization may face fines of up to $75,000, drone confiscation, and criminal charges.
Earlier this month, the Homeland Security Department said it would invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities while recent drone incidents have worried both European and U.S. airports. Earlier the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul called on Trump to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks. A number of incidents have involved sporting events.
A man pleaded guilty in June 2025 after being charged with violating defense airspace by flying a drone over the American Football Conference championship game in Baltimore in January.
In September 2024, a Boston man agreed to pay a $5,000 fine and forfeit his drone after being charged with unlawfully flying a drone near the finish line of the April 2024 Boston Marathon, which prompted law enforcement to seize it mid-air and land it.
(Reporting by David Shepardson in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio)
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