FAA approves drone use for NFL Films

Also, the document states the drones can only be used for data collection, meaning the use of drones for promotional means or delivery of items to fans is a big no-no, for now.

It was too much to think that suddenly the NFL would be permitted to fly 50-pound drones over tens of thousands of people – and that’s not really what the league needed anyway.

With several teams already experimenting with using drones to film practices, the Federal Aviation Administration began looking into the usage of such equipment by the NFL.

Bloomberg reports NFL Films can use the drones to shoot films, documentaries and television segments inside the stadium, but the FAA is limiting their use to when there’s no game going on.

Both the National Football League and MLB have had issues in the past with unmanned and unapproved drones over their stadiums.

Same goes for their use by other sports leagues. But the penalties for violating a ban – and who hands out those sentences – is still murky.

In its notice about temporary flight restrictions at sporting events, the FAA lists reckless endangerment, operation of a motor vehicle while under the influence, trespassing and assault as possible criminal charges for unsanctioned drone use. Further, coaching staffs across the league could use the added perspective in their breakdown of film, getting them closer to the action and allowing for expanded player development opportunities. In January, ESPN cleared numerous regulatory hurdles so it could have drones with cameras follow skiers and snowboarders down the hill for the Winter X Games. Fox used drones in its coverage of this year’s U.S. Open golf tournament at Chambers Bay Golf Course outside Seattle.