A drone positioned close to Baltimore’s M&T Stadium induced the sport between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens to be halted. The FBI issued a warning on Friday for drone pilots to avoid the stadium airspace. The fan response to the drone sighting was regarding. The groups continued to play after a slight delay.
Ravens vs. Steelers Sport Delayed On account of Drone Sighting Over Stadium
The Wild Card recreation was delayed resulting from a drone and followers didn’t prefer it one bit. The broadcasters on the Amazon Prime streaming companies mentioned the state of affairs and tried to instill some sense of normalcy. Followers took to social media to voice their issues.
An NFL recreation being delayed by a drone is probably the most 2025 factor I’ve heard all day
— David Grand (@sticktapguy) January 12, 2025
One other fan posted “A drone entered the Ravens stadium and stopped play? Okay we’d like a observe up on this.”
Another fan posted, “Flying a drone over an lively occasion in a stadium is sort of a tremendous double canine felony. Whoever did that’s in for a world of harm.”
Flying a drone over an lively occasion in a stadium is sort of a tremendous double canine felony.
Whoever did that’s in for a world of harm.
— Brett Kollmann (@BrettKollmann) January 12, 2025
Drone over the stadium? What is that this insanity
— Mike Coupes (@MrMikeCoupes) January 12, 2025
With 5:16 remaining within the third quarter officers introduced the sport could be halted resulting from an “administrative timeout.” After getting back from industrial, sideline reporter Kaylee Hartung defined to the streaming viewers the sport had been stopped resulting from a drone sighting.
This isn’t the primary time {that a} drone has infiltrated the air house over the stadium. That’s what induced the FBI to take motion on Friday. In reality, that is the third time previously 14 months that the Ravens have skilled this downside.
“Final 12 months through the AFC Championship Sport through the [Kansas City Chiefs] and the Ravens dwelling recreation on January twenty eighth of final 12 months, we had a number of drone incursions into the TFR, non permanent flight restrictions,” David Rodski, Particular Agent with the FBI Baltimore division, stated.
A reminder for Saturday’s Ravens-Steelers Playoff Sport: depart the drones at dwelling. @FBIBaltimore Particular Agent David Rodski explains there’s a Short-term Flight Restriction in place for M&T Financial institution Stadium and the world is taken into account a No Drone Zone. pic.twitter.com/eCSdiOg2lc
— FBI Baltimore (@FBIBaltimore) January 10, 2025
Authorities caught the pilot final season and he was in the end pressured to pay an enormous nice. He might have gone to jail.
“The risks of flying a drone over a stadium – for starters – you might have 70 thousand folks, if that drone falls from the sky, you’ll be able to injure someone, you’ll be able to truly kill someone with a drone,” Rodski warned.
In line with CBS Information, “the FAA bans drones and manned plane from flying inside three miles of a stadium that holds at the least 30,000 followers for normal and postseason sporting occasions – beginning one hour earlier than and after video games.”
Rodski stated on Friday, Jan. 10, there are exceptions to the rule, for instance, sure advertisers are allowed to fly over the stadium, such because the Goodyear Blimp.
“We do have drones which can be what we name white listed, they’re authorised to fly, so that you would possibly see a drone that’s by the stadium, it was once a Goodyear blimp, this 12 months the NFL is contracted with sure firms, however we’re watching all of these drones and we’ll be right here,” Rodski acknowledged.