FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) prohibit drones within three nautical miles and below 3,000 feet of Empower Field at Mile High, Coors Field, and Ball Arena during major events. Denver also limits drone use at Civic Center and city festivals.
Federal law (49 U.S.C. §40103) bars unmanned aircraft from operating over major sporting events. The standing FAA TFR (NOTAM FDC 9/3417) covers any MLB, NFL, NCAA Division I, or motor speedway race with 30,000+ attendees, restricting all aircraft within a 3-nautical-mile radius from one hour before to one hour after the event, below 3,000 feet AGL. Denver's Empower Field at Mile High (Broncos), Coors Field (Rockies), and Ball Arena (Nuggets/Avalanche) all qualify. Civic Center festivals, parades, and presidential or VIP visits trigger additional ad-hoc TFRs. Denver Parks rules also forbid drone takeoffs and landings inside permitted special-event footprints. Pilots must monitor the FAA NOTAM service and B4UFLY before flight.
Violating a stadium TFR brings FAA civil penalties up to $30,000 per flight, possible criminal prosecution, and certificate revocation. Under 49 U.S.C. §46307 willful TFR violation is a federal crime punishable by up to one year in prison.
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See how Denver's event drone restrictions rules stack up against other locations.
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