FBI, FAA crack down after spotting of illegal drones over Coors Field during Rockies games
Apr 19, 2026, 11:11 AM | Updated: Apr 22, 2026, 10:40 am
If you ever thought it would be fun to take your drone to a Colorado Rockies game, maybe just settle for a baseball mitt instead…
The FBI and Federal Aviation Administration issued a joint warning Thursday after more than half a dozen drones were spotted illegally flying in restricted airspace around Coors Field during the Colorado Rockies’ opening homestand, prompting a federal crackdown ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The drone incursions occurred during the Rockies’ first home series against the Philadelphia Phillies from April 3 to 5, according to an FAA statement released Thursday. No arrests have been made, but the operators have been referred to the FAA for investigation and could face civil fines of up to $75,000 per violation, confiscation of their drones or pilot certificates, and potential criminal penalties, including fines up to $100,000 and up to one year in prison.
FBI Denver public affairs officer Vikki Migoya said that before the games began, “numerous” operators were found to have violated the stadium’s temporary flight restriction or lacked/refused to show a valid Part 107 remote pilot license. She said the drones did not fly in a “swarm,” as some reports had misstated.
Under FAA rules, all airspace within three miles of Coors Field is restricted starting one hour before a game and continuing for one hour after it ends. Pilots are responsible for checking those restrictions before they fly, and drones are required to broadcast their locations.
The FBI, FAA, Denver Police Department and the Colorado Rockies jointly urged drone operators to follow federal regulations as the team prepares for its next homestand.
Drone incursions at major American sporting venues have risen sharply in recent years. The NFL reported more than 2,000 drone incursions into stadium temporary flight restrictions in each of its previous three seasons, with the figure surpassing 2,800 in 2023. In some cases, unauthorized aircraft have disrupted primetime games.
