The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) last Wednesday announced a public outreach campaign for the Washington, D.C., region to emphasize cities and towns within a 15-mile radius of Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport are a “No Drone Zone.”
“Federal rules prohibit any aircraft from operating in the Flight Restricted Zone around our nation’s capital without specific approval. That includes all unmanned aircraft,” Anthony Foxx, U.S. Secretary of Transportation, said in a statement.
The FAA is making outreach materials available to federal, state, and local partners around the region to ensure residents and tourists understand operating unmanned aircraft in the area is against the law.
The airspace around the capital is more restricted than anywhere else in the United States. Rules created after the September 11 attacks establish “national defense airspace” over the area. Aircraft operations are limited to those with an FAA and Transportation Security Administration (TSA) authorization.
“Anyone visiting the D.C. area should leave their drone at home,” Michael Huerta, the FAA Administrator said.
The FAA is also developing a GPS-driven smartphone app to alert recreational unmanned aircraft operators where they can and cannot legally operate as part of its public education efforts.
The app is expected to be released for Apple [AAPL] devices later this year once beta testing is finished, the FAA said.