Under 14 CFR § 91.145, a standing TFR exists for certain sporting events at stadiums seating 30,000 or more. What is the activation window for these TFRs relative to the event?
AFrom 1 hour before the scheduled event start through 1 hour after the scheduled event end✓
BOnly during the event itself (kickoff to final whistle)
CAll day on game day, midnight to midnight local
Why →Under § 91.145, the stadium TFR is active from one hour before the scheduled event start time through one hour after the event end time. The radius is typically 3 nautical miles and the floor is the surface up to 3,000 feet AGL. Drone operations in this airspace during the active window are prohibited without specific authorization.
The trap →The kickoff-to-final-whistle answer under-reports the window; the buffer hours exist specifically to cover pre-event and post-event crowd activity. The midnight-to-midnight answer over-reports.
Field note →If you plan tailgate-adjacent shoots, you have until 1 hour before scheduled start. A noon kickoff means your drone is on the ground by 11 AM.
SOURCE → 14 CFR § 91.145; FAA TFR referenceCHECKED JUL 16ACS II.B.K3EASY