Pursuits
NFL First Major U.S. League to Win FAA Permission to Use Drones
- Agency won't allow drone filming over packed stadiums
- FAA in June said it was probing NFL teams for illegal use
A drone hovers over the practice field during a Dallas Cowboys organized team activity at the NFL football team's headquarters on June 10, 2015, in Irving, Texas.
Photographer: Tim Sharp/AP PhotoThis article is for subscribers only.
The National Football League can use drones to shoot films, documentaries and television segments, becoming the first major sports league to receive such permission from the Federal Aviation Administration.
The exemption, which precludes filming games, comes three months after the FAA said it was probing NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, for their use of drones. It’s illegal to fly unmanned aircraft for any commercial purpose without first receiving a federal green light.