[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":253},["ShallowReactive",2],{"en-post-california-drone-ban-concerts-2026":3,"en-related-california-drone-ban-concerts-2026":222},{"id":4,"title":5,"author":6,"body":7,"category":203,"date":204,"description":205,"draft":206,"extension":207,"image":208,"meta":209,"navigation":210,"path":211,"seo":212,"slug":213,"stem":214,"tags":215,"translation_slug":196,"updated":220,"__hash__":221},"en_posts\u002Fen\u002Fposts\u002Fcalifornia-drone-ban-concerts-2026.md","California Bans Drones Within 400 Feet of Concerts (2026)","Lucas Buzzo",{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":195},"minimark",[10,14,17,22,25,28,31,33,37,40,53,56,59,111,114,116,120,128,131,134,136,140,147,156,169,171,175,177],[11,12,13],"p",{},"California's Legislature passed AB 2113 on August 27, 2026, banning unauthorized drone flights within 400 feet of ticketed outdoor concerts, sports events, and performances at venues holding 1,000 or more people. The bill, which now heads to Governor Gavin Newsom for signature, carries a $500 fine per violation and has already drawn questions from aviation attorneys over federal airspace preemption.",[15,16],"hr",{},[18,19,21],"h2",{"id":20},"background","Background",[11,23,24],{},"Drones showing up uninvited over stadiums and festival grounds has become a recurring headache for California venues. Security teams at large outdoor events have reported a steady rise in unauthorized flights over the past few years, driven by paparazzi chasing celebrity performers, hobbyists filming crowd shots, and in a handful of cases, drones straying close enough to stages and pyrotechnics to force a show to pause.",[11,26,27],{},"Until now, venues and local police had few direct legal tools to respond. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulates where and how drones can fly nationally, but it doesn't specifically prohibit flights near concerts or sporting events unless a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR) has been issued for that specific date and location — something the FAA typically reserves for major events like the Super Bowl, not a Tuesday-night amphitheater show. That gap is what Assemblymember Tina McKinnor (D-Inglewood) set out to close with AB 2113, formally titled \"Aviation: Unmanned Aircraft Systems: Ticketed Entertainment Events.\"",[11,29,30],{},"The bill moved through Sacramento with unusually broad support. The Assembly approved it 72-0 on May 18, 2026, with backing from 54 Democrats and 18 Republicans, and it cleared the Senate Public Safety Committee 6-0 on June 30 before the full Legislature passed it on August 27.",[15,32],{},[18,34,36],{"id":35},"what-ab-2113-actually-restricts","What AB 2113 Actually Restricts",[11,38,39],{},"The law makes it an infraction to operate an unmanned aircraft within 400 feet of, or directly above, an outdoor ticketed entertainment event. That covers professional music concerts, sporting events, and performing arts shows, but only at venues that meet specific criteria:",[41,42,43,47,50],"ul",{},[44,45,46],"li",{},"Minimum capacity of 1,000 people",[44,48,49],{},"Gated entrances or other barriers that restrict public access",[44,51,52],{},"Admission requires a ticket or similar license issued by the venue operator",[11,54,55],{},"A neighborhood block party or a free outdoor movie night in a public park wouldn't qualify. A ticketed amphitheater show, a professional soccer match, or a stadium concert would.",[11,57,58],{},"Each violation is punishable by a $500 fine. The restriction includes several carve-outs so it doesn't sweep up legitimate operators:",[60,61,62,75],"table",{},[63,64,65],"thead",{},[66,67,68,72],"tr",{},[69,70,71],"th",{},"Who's exempt",[69,73,74],{},"Condition",[76,77,78,87,95,103],"tbody",{},[66,79,80,84],{},[81,82,83],"td",{},"Drone pilots with venue consent",[81,85,86],{},"Operator has authorized the specific flight",[66,88,89,92],{},[81,90,91],{},"Venue employees",[81,93,94],{},"Conducting official business for the event",[66,96,97,100],{},[81,98,99],{},"Utility workers",[81,101,102],{},"Performing regulated utility duties nearby",[66,104,105,108],{},[81,106,107],{},"Emergency personnel",[81,109,110],{},"Responding to an active incident",[11,112,113],{},"That last carve-out matters: a fire department or police drone responding to a medical emergency inside a stadium isn't blocked by the new law, and neither is a venue's own contracted drone light show.",[15,115],{},[18,117,119],{"id":118},"the-faa-preemption-question","The FAA Preemption Question",[11,121,122,123,127],{},"Here's where AB 2113 gets legally interesting, and why it's being watched well beyond California. The ",[124,125,126],"strong",{},"FAA holds exclusive authority over navigable airspace"," in the United States — a principle established through decades of aviation law and reinforced by the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which explicitly bars states from regulating aircraft operations, flight paths, and altitudes. States have historically been left to regulate things the FAA doesn't touch: trespass, privacy, and where a drone can take off or land.",[11,129,130],{},"AB 2113's 400-foot radius sits uncomfortably close to that federal line, because it restricts drones based on altitude and flight path near a venue, not just where a pilot can launch from. Aviation attorneys quoted by DroneLife say the bill raises real questions about whether California has the authority to impose it, since federal preemption doctrine has repeatedly struck down state and local attempts to regulate airspace directly.",[11,132,133],{},"California isn't the first state to test this boundary, and courts have not been consistent. Some state-level drone restrictions near stadiums and prisons have survived legal challenges when framed as trespass or public-safety measures tied to a fixed location, rather than airspace regulation. Others have been struck down or narrowed. If AB 2113 is signed into law and later challenged, its outcome could become a reference point for how far states can go in regulating drones near public gatherings — an issue every state legislature considering similar bills is watching.",[15,135],{},[18,137,139],{"id":138},"what-this-means-for-drone-pilots","What This Means for Drone Pilots",[11,141,142,143,146],{},"If Governor Newsom signs AB 2113, the practical effect for most recreational and hobbyist pilots in California is simple: ",[124,144,145],{},"don't fly within 400 feet of a large ticketed outdoor event without the venue's permission."," That applies whether you're capturing crowd footage, live-streaming a show from outside the gates, or just flying nearby for an unrelated reason — proximity alone triggers the restriction, not intent.",[11,148,149,150,155],{},"For commercial operators — filmmakers, news crews, and anyone flying under an FAA ",[151,152,154],"a",{"href":153},"\u002Ffaa-part-107-license\u002F","Part 107 license"," — this adds a state-level check on top of federal rules. Even with FAA authorization to fly in the area, a state infraction citation is still possible unless the venue has explicitly consented. Checking with event organizers before any flight near a concert, festival, or stadium is now the safer default in California, not just good practice.",[11,157,158,159,163,164,168],{},"Pilots outside California should watch this closely too. It fits into a broader pattern of ",[151,160,162],{"href":161},"\u002Fdrone-laws-usa\u002F","US drone laws"," tightening at the state and local level while the FAA's own national framework moves slowly. Similar concert- and stadium-adjacent restrictions could follow in other states if AB 2113 survives its first legal test. Regardless of where you fly, checking the specific ",[151,165,167],{"href":166},"\u002Fdrone-no-fly-zones-guide\u002F","no-fly zones and event restrictions"," for your location before every flight remains the only reliable way to stay compliant as this patchwork of rules keeps expanding.",[15,170],{},[172,173],"faq",{":items":174},"[{\"question\":\"Has AB 2113 become law yet?\",\"answer\":\"Not yet. The California Legislature passed AB 2113 on August 27, 2026, but it still needs Governor Gavin Newsom's signature to take effect. If he signs it, California would become one of the first states with a specific drone restriction tied to ticketed outdoor entertainment venues.\"},{\"question\":\"How far is 400 feet, practically speaking?\",\"answer\":\"400 feet is roughly the length of one and a third football fields, or about 33 stories of vertical height. Under AB 2113, that radius applies both around a qualifying venue's perimeter and directly above it, not just at ground level.\"},{\"question\":\"Does this law apply to indoor concerts or small venues?\",\"answer\":\"No. AB 2113 only covers outdoor, ticketed events at venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or more that have gated or restricted access. Indoor arenas, free public events, and small venues fall outside the law's scope.\"},{\"question\":\"Can I still fly if I get the venue's permission?\",\"answer\":\"Yes. AB 2113 exempts drone operators who have obtained consent from the venue operator for that specific ticketed event, along with venue employees, utility workers on official duty, and emergency responders.\"}]",[15,176],{},[11,178,179],{},[180,181,182,183,189,190],"em",{},"Sources: ",[151,184,188],{"href":185,"rel":186},"https:\u002F\u002Fdronelife.com\u002F2026\u002F09\u002F02\u002Fcalifornia-400-foot-drone-restriction-concerts-faa-preemption\u002F",[187],"nofollow","California Passes 400-Foot Drone Restriction for Concerts, Raising FAA Pre-Emption Questions — DroneLife"," | ",[151,191,194],{"href":192,"rel":193},"https:\u002F\u002Fapcp.assembly.ca.gov\u002Fsystem\u002Ffiles\u002F2026-04\u002Fab-2113-mckinnor-apcp-analysis.pdf",[187],"Assembly Committee Analysis of AB 2113",{"title":196,"searchDepth":197,"depth":197,"links":198},"",2,[199,200,201,202],{"id":20,"depth":197,"text":21},{"id":35,"depth":197,"text":36},{"id":118,"depth":197,"text":119},{"id":138,"depth":197,"text":139},"news","2026-09-02","California's AB 2113 bans drones within 400 feet of ticketed concerts, sports, and shows, with $500 fines, key exceptions, and a looming FAA preemption fight.",false,"md","\u002Fimages\u002Fcalifornia-drone-ban-concerts-2026.jpg",{},true,"\u002Fen\u002Fposts\u002Fcalifornia-drone-ban-concerts-2026",{"title":5,"description":205},"california-drone-ban-concerts-2026","en\u002Fposts\u002Fcalifornia-drone-ban-concerts-2026",[216,217,218,219],"drone laws","California","FAA","regulations",null,"qoct17O0An9oLX73MxZBFzgPtXGgtsXJjgWf3T00yuE",[223,225,233,244],{"title":5,"description":205,"date":204,"category":203,"image":208,"slug":213,"tags":224,"author":6},[216,217,218,219],{"title":226,"description":227,"date":204,"category":203,"image":228,"slug":229,"tags":230,"author":6},"FAA Exemption Lets Draganfly Fly Drones Over 55 Lbs","The FAA granted Draganfly a Section 44807 exemption on Sept. 1, 2026, clearing its Heavy Lift drone to fly above the 55-lb Part 107 cap for cargo runs.","\u002Fimages\u002Fdarpa-lift-challenge-avidrone-katana-winner-2026.jpg","draganfly-faa-heavy-lift-drone-exemption-2026",[231,232],"faa","regulation",{"title":234,"description":235,"date":236,"category":203,"image":237,"slug":238,"tags":239,"author":6},"FCC Denies Extension: Drone Ban Comments Due Sept. 2","The FCC denied requests to delay its Sept. 2 deadline for comments on a ban covering thermal, LiDAR, and swarm-capable drones already approved for US sale.","2026-09-01","\u002Fimages\u002Ffcc-american-drone-dominance-2026.jpg","fcc-drone-ban-extension-denied-2026",[240,241,242,232,243],"fcc","dji","autel","drone market",{"title":245,"description":246,"date":236,"category":203,"image":247,"slug":248,"tags":249,"author":6},"Quantum Systems Used CIA Money to Crack the US Market","Reuters reports that In-Q-Tel, the CIA's venture arm, helped $8B German drone maker Quantum Systems win FBI work and break into the US defense market.","\u002Fimages\u002Fquantum-systems-cia-in-q-tel-us-market-2026.jpg","quantum-systems-cia-in-q-tel-us-market-2026",[250,243,251,232,252],"defense","europe","funding",1788391184394]