The Federal Aviation Administration recently announced that as of October 5, it'll be illegal to fly drones over the Statue of Liberty and several other US landmarks.

The restrictions, similar to existing regulations governing the airspace above military bases, are a first for US landmarks.

Per the request of national security and law enforcement agencies, the FAA and the Department of the Interior have agreed to restrict drone flights up to 400 feet above the following locations:

  • Statue of Liberty National Monument, New York, NY
  • Boston National Historical Park (U.S.S. Constitution), Boston, MA
  • Independence National Historical Park, Philadelphia, PA
  • Folsom Dam; Folsom, CA
  • Glen Canyon Dam; Lake Powell, AZ
  • Grand Coulee Dam; Grand Coulee, WA
  • Hoover Dam; Boulder City, NV
  • Jefferson National Expansion Memorial; St. Louis, MO
  • Mount Rushmore National Memorial; Keystone, SD
  • Shasta Dam; Shasta Lake, CA

Exceptions will be made on rare occasions, the FAA notes. In those instances, pilots will need to get permission from site officials and / or the FAA before entering no-fly zones. Those who violate the restrictions will be subject to "enforcement action" which can include civil penalties and criminal charges.

In order to spread awareness of the new restrictions, the FAA has created an interactive online map and will be updating its B4UFLY mobile app within 60 days.