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FAA bans drones over 133 military facilities

The ban takes effect April 14.

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Dong Ngo SF Labs Manager, Editor / Reviews
CNET editor Dong Ngo has been involved with technology since 2000, starting with testing gadgets and writing code for CNET Labs' benchmarks. He now manages CNET San Francisco Labs, reviews 3D printers, networking/storage devices, and also writes about other topics from online security to new gadgets and how technology impacts the life of people around the world.
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FAA

The US Federal Aviation Administration on Friday announced airspace restrictions aimed at drones, banning any unauthorized unmanned vehicles from flying over 133 military facilities. The ban kicks in on April 14.

FAA said the restrictions are based on authority granted to it under Title 14 of the Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) § 99.7:

"U.S. military facilities are vital to the nation's security. The FAA and the Department of Defense have agreed to restrict drone flights up to 400 feet within the lateral boundaries of these 133 facilities. The restrictions will be effective April 14, 2017."

Drone owners can find out about these restricted facilities via an interactive online map or the FAA's B4UFLY mobile app, which will be updated with the new rules in the next 60 days.

Operators who violate the airspace restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges. For more information, go to FAA's UAS website.

The FAA said it's considering additional requests from federal security and intelligence agencies.

Editor's note (June 14, 2017): Updated for clarity.