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FAA to drone pilots: fly near big sports events and face prison time

If you have dreams of recording your own aerial footage of a baseball game using a drone, you'll want to put them on ice. The FAA has issued a warning to all pilots that they'll be fined or imprisoned if they fly remote-controlled aircraft too close to large sports venues (specifically, within 3 miles and under 3,000 feet) during events. The heads-up is ultimately an extension of an existing no-fly notice, but it represents the first time that the FAA has explicitly outlined criminal penalties for flying drones in restricted airspace -- it's not just promising tougher rules. You probably won't object to these particular guidelines if you like your sports distraction-free, but the notice suggests that other crackdowns might be coming soon.

[Image credit: Leon Halip/Getty Images]