The FAA fined and suspended or revoked the licenses of multiple drone operators in 2025 for unsafe and unauthorized operations, including flights near major sporting events, emergency response activities, and in restricted airspace.
“The FAA will take decisive action against drone operators who ignore safety rules or operate without authorization,” said FAA Chief Counsel Liam McKenna. “These unsafe operations create serious risks, and the FAA will hold operators fully accountable for any violations.”
In 2026, the FAA updated its enforcement policy to require legal action when drone operations endanger the public, violate airspace restrictions, or are conducted as part of another crime, agency officials said.
“The policy strengthens deterrence and reinforces the agency’s commitment to protecting the National Airspace System,” officials added.
Drone operators who fly unsafely or without permission can be fined up to $75,000 per violation. The FAA can also suspend or revoke their pilot’s license. Even if they don’t have a license, the FAA can still fine them or their company.
The FAA levied fines ranging from $1,771 to $36,770 for 18 operations with violations that occurred between 2023 and 2025. Among the fines are:
- $36,770 for operating a drone near emergency response aircraft during a wildfire on April 4, 2023.
- $20,371 for operating a drone in restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago on Jan. 13, 2025.
- $20,370 for operating a drone over people at the Sunfest Music Festival in West Palm Beach, Florida, on May 5, 2024, resulting in the aircraft striking a tree.
- $14,790 for operating a drone near State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, during the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023.
In addition to fines, the FAA took license enforcement actions in 2025 against eight remote pilots for violations, including:
- License suspension for operating a drone that became entangled with a paraglider on Jan. 7, 2025, forcing the paraglider pilot to make an emergency landing.
- License suspension for committing multiple safety violations during a drone light show at Lake Eola in Orlando, Florida, on Dec. 21, 2024.
- License suspension for operating a drone over people during an NFL game in Baltimore on Nov. 3, 2024.
- License revocation for operating a drone in restricted airspace near Mar-a-Lago on Sept. 7, 2025.
The FAA encourages people to report unsafe drone operations to their local Flight Standards District Office. The agency reviews all credible reports and investigates when appropriate, FAA officials noted.
For more information: FAA.gov/UAS
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