FAA: All of Washington, D.C. Is a 'No Drone Zone'

The Federal Aviation Administration really, really wants people to quit flying drones around the famous landmarks and sensitive areas of our nation's capital, and now it's going further than trying to keep them away from the Capitol or the White House. FAA is declaring the entire Washington, D.C. area, and the area around Reagan airport, a "no drone zone."

The existing regulations put in place after 9/11 make a big chunk of Capitol Hill a no-fly zone. That seems fairly obvious. But after a series of drone incursions and mishaps in the city of Washington, the FAA apparently has decided to keep UAVs away for good. If you're visiting town, the agency says, leave the drone at home.

FAA says it is also introducing an app to show drone owners where they can and can't fly. It's GPS-enabled, so it should be able to say yes or no based on your location. Expect to see the app on Apple devices later this year.

Some dronemakers want to pre-empt would-be capital drone flyers by geofencing their products to that drones cannot fly in the restricted areas. But that's a generation away. For now, just remember to leave the drone at home. Especially if you're a drunk federal employee.

Source: Aviation.ca