Under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations § 99.7 – “Special Security Instructions” – the FAA is using its authority in order to allay concerns raised by the DOI over unauthorised drone flights.
The Special Security Instructions state, “Each person operating an aircraft in an ADIZ or Defense Area must, in addition to the applicable rules of this part, comply with special security instructions issued by the Administrator in the interest of national security, pursuant to agreement between the FAA and the Department of Defense, or between the FAA and a U.S. Federal security or intelligence agency.”
The restrictions go into effect from 5th October 2017 and restrict drone flights within 400 feet of the lateral area surrounding the noted landmarks (see below). Only a few exceptions to this rule will be permitted, and they must be coordinated with the individual facility and/or the FAA. An interactive map exists online for drone users to stay well informed of the affected airspaces, as well as the B4UFLY app being updated to reflect the changes.
This is the first time the FAA has placed restrictions for UAVs over DOI landmarks, having previously exercised their authority to restrict flights over military bases, restrictions which are still in place.
The list of landmarks affected are as follows:
- Statue of Liberty National Monument, New York, NY
- Boston National Historical Park (U.S.S. Constitution), Boston, MA
- Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, PA
- Folsom Dam; Folsom, CA
- Glen Canyon Dam; Lake Powell, AZ
- Grand Coulee Dam; Grand Coulee, WA
- Hoover Dam; Boulder City, NV
- Jefferson National Expansion Memorial; St. Louis, MO
- Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Keystone, SD
- Shasta Dam; Shasta Lake, CA
References: sUAS News FAA US Government Publishing Office
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