Booo! FAA Grounds Michigan Wolverine Pigskin Delivery Drone
Maybe your kids or grandchildren will inherit a world where delivery drones are the norm, but for now, the Federal Aviation Administration is keeping a close and cautious eye on these unmanned aircraft. Current restrictions are so tight that the University of Michigan had to cancel plans to have a drone deliver the game ball before kickoff on Saturday as the Wolverines prepared to take on the University of Utah at its Ann Arbor stadium.
"The FAA promotes voluntary compliance by educating UAS operators about how they can operate safely under current regulations and laws," the agency told Bloomberg in an email.
After the FAA explained the rules to the University, school officials made the decision not to use the drone, the FAA said. In football, they call that intentional grounding.
According to the FAA's rules, pilots are allowed to fly drones for recreational use as long as they follow safety guidelines. One of those guidelines is to stay away from crowds, which would be nigh impossible at Michigan Stadium. The stadium seats 109,901 people, and routinely houses more than that on game days when accounting for standing-room-only fans.
"The FAA promotes voluntary compliance by educating UAS operators about how they can operate safely under current regulations and laws," the agency told Bloomberg in an email.
After the FAA explained the rules to the University, school officials made the decision not to use the drone, the FAA said. In football, they call that intentional grounding.
According to the FAA's rules, pilots are allowed to fly drones for recreational use as long as they follow safety guidelines. One of those guidelines is to stay away from crowds, which would be nigh impossible at Michigan Stadium. The stadium seats 109,901 people, and routinely houses more than that on game days when accounting for standing-room-only fans.
