Note to all drone owners: Don't fly your aircraft near a stadium, or you could wind up in jail.
The Federal Aviation Administration this week issued a new warning against flying drones or model planes near stadiums and auto racetracks. Those who do so will be breaking the law, and could be hit with fines and imprisoned for up to a year.
The move, first reported by the Associated Press, represents the FAA's first-ever action to criminalize the use of drones.
The agency updated a previous notice stating that aircraft are prohibited from flying below 3,000 feet within 3 miles of Major League Baseball, National Football League, and NCAA Division 1 college football stadiums that can seat 30,000 or more spectators. The ban extends from one hour before events until one hour after, and applies to about 150 stadiums in the U.S. Also included are the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Indy Car, and Champ series auto races.
FAA spokeswoman Laura Brown told the AP that officials updated the notice to "clarify" that drones and model planes are included in the ban since they're both considered "aircraft."
The notice says that stadium, team, or broadcast officials can pursue an airspace waiver if they want to use drones during a game for "operational purposes." The ban does not affect law enforcement equipment.
Earlier this month, a soccer game was interrupted after a drone carrying a banner over a stadium in Belgrade prompted a fight among players, the AP reported last week.
Meanwhile, drones are also coming up against opposition in nature. The National Park Service recently banned the use of personal drones throughout Yosemite National Park because of their possible interaction with the animals there. For more, see the slideshow above.