Super Bowl Stadium Airspace 'Inundated' With Drones: FBI

ATLANTA -- FBI officials said the airspace around Mercedes-Benz Stadium was "inundated" with drones on Thursday, despite a temporary flying restriction that prohibits their operation within the Super Bowl LIII footprint. An FBI spokesman said the agency "confiscated several drones and the pilots of those drones potentially face significant fines and/or jail time.

"Law enforcement is spending way too much time on drones, when those resources could be used for other security," said the FBI's Kevin Rowson.

With Super Bowl Sunday only hours away, more federal officials are on hand to help enforce air travel restrictions around the stadium. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) aircraft will be helping enforce air travel restriction around Mercedes-Benz Stadium during Super Bowl LIII. The temporary no-fly zone begins at 3 p.m. and lasts through midnight, CBP aircraft will be patrolling the zone to support the temporary flight restriction set by the FAA.

Read more: Federal Officials Enforcing No-Fly Zones During Super Bowl

On game day, CBP Black Hawk crews will assist U.S. Department of Defense aircraft in detecting, tracking, and coordinating the interdiction of aircraft violating the TFR. If any aircraft violate that air space, CBP will intercept and determine if further enforcement is needed.

Federal officials said the restricted airspace is designed to protect the tens of thousands of attendees before, during, and after the big game.

More Super Bowl Travel Coverage From Patch

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• Super Bowl Road Closures | Full List
• PDK Air Traffic Increasing As Super Bowl Nears
• Cobb Expects 700 Percent Super Bowl Increase In Airport Traffic
• Delta, Southwest Adding More Flights For Super Bowl LIII

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