The Federal Aviation Administration said it took multiple enforcement actions against drone operators in 2025 and made updates to its policies for 2026, citing unsafe and unauthorized flights near emergency scenes, major sporting events and restricted airspace.
Officials said the administration assessed penalties between 2023 and 2025 ranging from less than $2,000 to more than $36,000. On the higher end were fines for operations near wildfire response aircraft, over crowded events and within restricted areas.
The FAA also suspended or revoked a number of remote pilot certificates tied to incidents such as operations over stadiums and flights that interfered with other aircraft.
Updated Enforcement Policy
The FAA said it has revised its enforcement approach for 2026. Legal action will be required in cases where drone activity endangers the public, violates airspace restrictions or is connected to other criminal activity.
“The FAA will take decisive action against drone operators who ignore safety rules or operate without authorization,” FAA Chief Counsel Liam McKenna said. “These unsafe operations create serious risks, and the FAA will hold operators fully accountable for any violations.”
Drone operators who violate regulations can face civil penalties of up to $75,000 per violation, along with certificate action.
Federal agencies have also increased operational coordination around large public gatherings. For Super Bowl LX, the FAA and the FBI established a wide range of temporary flight restrictions over and around Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and several San Francisco locations in the days leading up to the event. The restrictions included varying radii and altitude limits, with enforcement support from both agencies using detection and monitoring capabilities to identify unauthorized drone activity.
Broader Federal Counter-Drone Efforts
As the FAA continues evolving its approach to drone-related enforcement, the Department of Homeland Security announced the creation of a Program Executive Office last month, focused on unmanned aircraft systems and counter-UAS programs. That new office comes alongside a $115 million funding initiative tied to security planning for upcoming national events, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup and the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence. The department said the office will oversee procurement and deployment of systems intended to address drone-related threats.
The DHS initiative follows earlier authorities granted to the department to detect and mitigate unauthorized drone activity and includes additional funding programs and contract planning tied to counter-drone capabilities.
Federal agencies said the combined enforcement, policy updates and event-specific restrictions are part of ongoing efforts to manage drone activity within the National Airspace System.
There is alot of drone activity in the airspace of half mile surrounding highland park dr salisbury nc 28147 and I don’t understand why I’ve even seen them as low as the trees please look into this iam a concerned citizen as well as it plays a part in driving me past medication causing me paranoia and induced mental strains because iam on physciatric meds please don’t think iam crazy please look in to this there’s no need for forty or fifty drones to be in the air within a half to quarter of a mile thats invasion of people’s privacy for a sure and I don’t know who I need to contact about it please send me a email to let me know who I ne see d to contact concerning so many drones in th d air and them being above trees near people’s homes it’s definitely invading people’s privacy not right and I would like to alert someone
I am curious as to why the FAA appears to be so vigilant and effective regarding isolated drones around sporting events but took no action against the operators of repeated large drone swarms over sensitive military sites a couple of years ago.
More like thousands. Birds aren’t real they’re actually drones controlled by the CIA.
Seriously though, as long as the operators are flying safely, not flying above 400ft, and not flying in restricted airspace such as near an airfield or stadium there isn’t much you can do as no laws are being broken. Most drones fly low because they cannot legally be above 400ft aside from in certain conditions. Airspace is solely controlled by the FAA, even the airspace directly over your property. Because of that most local law enforcement agencies won’t take action unless a law is being obviously broken. And since there is no federal law concerning the number of drones in a given area it’s probably best to ignore them as they’re really is nothing that can be done about it.
For anybody who may be eager to dismiss what Kenneth wall is describing, know that it’s not just him. I live in the rural(compared to the vast majority of the US) Wyoming and witness similar activity here frequently. Its been such a common occurrence that our local sherriff has been contacted so many times that he has made multiple public statements telling the the public that his attempts to get more information from the feds have led nowhere and that they simply won’t answer him.
With that being said, I absolutely agree that its an invasion of privacy and believe that the fact that any and all regulations that I ever hear proposals for protect everybody except for the private citizens who have nothing to do with this stuff. Its ridiculous that there are laws to protect drone operators from other drone operators, drone operators from citizens, national airspace and large events from drone operators but nobody will get on board with anything that protects an individual from a drone operator and the widespread privacy violations that are absolutely occurring. The only reason that I can see that would justify this refusal, at this point, is that any agency, law enforcement or law making body that supports protecting individual citizens would limit their own ability to spy on American citizens as well and although they won’t say it out loud they just aren’t willing to admit that they do it and have no intention of stopping. Its intrusive, invasive, immoral…. everything but illegal and an explanation as to why that is the case should be demanded by everybody because its sad that the night sky is no longer a beautiful thing and you will wish it still was once you notice what’s in it now too.
Drone pilots must operate the same as regular pilots meaning reading: Notice to Airmen before flying and temporary flight restricted (TFRs) areas before flying are essential. For the incursions that have been listed, the drone pilots have been lax in this regard. And why they appear to be problem. But this problem should go away with FAA enforcement actions.