Overview
- The FAA updated its 2026 enforcement approach to require legal action when drone flights endanger the public, violate restrictions, or support other crimes.
- Officials reported 18 penalty cases from 2023–2025, with fines ranging from about $1,771 to $36,770, including $36,770 for flying near wildfire response aircraft and $20,371 for operating near Mar-a-Lago.
- The agency took license enforcement against eight remote pilots in 2025, citing incidents such as a paraglider entanglement, violations during an Orlando drone light show, and flights over people at an NFL game in Baltimore.
- Drone operators face civil penalties up to $75,000 per violation, and the FAA can pursue cases against individuals who do not hold a remote pilot certificate.
- For Super Bowl LX, the FAA and FBI set temporary flight restrictions over Levi’s Stadium and parts of San Francisco with detection and monitoring to deter unauthorized drones, while DHS established a new Program Executive Office and a $115 million counter‑UAS initiative for upcoming national events.