FAA Proposes Limits on Drone Flights to Address Security Worries

The Trump administration is proposing rules to tighten security against rogue drone flights.

Owners of certain facilities such as energy plants, oil refineries, state prisons and amusement parks would be able to request restrictions on drones near their sites under proposed regulations from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration.

The rules, released Tuesday, require applicants to explain why a restriction is necessary for “aviation safety, protection of people and property on the ground, national security, or homeland security.”

That includes describing drone operations over the facility during the previous 24 months, highlighting any gaps or weaknesses that might be exploited and detailing the consequences of a potential incursion.

The proposal comes as President Donald Trump takes other steps to address unauthorized drone flights around sporting events, especially as the nation prepares to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup and 2028 Summer Olympics.

The FAA said last month it was probing operators who allegedly flew their drones too close to Coors Field in Denver during games for Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission said in December it would ban most foreign-made drones and critical components. Chinese drone-maker SZ DJI Technology Co. is challenging that prohibition in court.

The proposed regulations implement a requirement enacted by Congress in a 2016 law. They also carry out a directive from Trump in a 2025 executive order.

Top photo: A DJI Mavic 3 drone in Yuma, Arizona. Photographer: John Moore/Getty Images. Bloomberg.