The FAA is leading a public outreach campaign for the National Capital Region around
Washington, D.C. to reinforce the message that the District of Columbia and cities and
towns within a 30-mile radius of Ronald-Reagan Washington National Airport are a No
Drone Zone.
Federal rules prohibit any aircraft from operating in the Flight Restricted Zone around
our nation’s capital without specific approval, which includes all unmanned aircraft.
The airspace around Washington, D.C. is more restricted than in any other part of the
country. Rules put in place after the 9/11 attacks establish “national defense airspace” over the area and limit aircraft operations to those with an FAA and
Transportation Security Administration authorization. Violators face stiff fines and criminal penalties. The FAA is making outreach materials available through a digital toolkit. These materials are offered to federal, state, and other local partners around the National Capital Region to ensure that residents and tourists all understand that operating an unmanned
aircraft in this area for any purpose is against the law. This digital toolkit includes No Drone Zone signage for any medium, including print and web, and informational handout cards explaining that the National Capital Region is a No Drone Zone
