The FAA is issuing new rules to prohibit drone flights over or near U.S. Navy vessels. The “special security instructions” restrict drone operations in airspace up to 2,000 feet mean sea level (msl) near U.S. territorial and navigable waters. The instructions prohibit drone flight within 3,000 feet laterally and 1,000 feet above any U.S. Navy vessel and are detailed in a Notice to Airmen (Notam) and also can be found at the UAS Data Display System (UDDS) website.

UDDS provides precise descriptions of the airspace to which these restrictions are applied, procedures to access this airspace, an interactive map, downloadable geospatial data and other crucial information and tools for UAS operators. A link to these restrictions is also included in the FAA’s B4UFLY mobile app.

UAS operators who violate the flight restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges and may also face security enforcement action that results in the interference, disruption, seizure, damaging, or destruction of unmanned aircraft considered to pose a threat to U.S. Navy assets, the FAA warned.