FBI: drones flying above National Championship venue

Air space above Mercedes-Benz stadium is restricted

Posted: Jan 7, 2018 2:20 PM

Updated: Jan 7, 2018 2:21 PM

Posted By: Greg Privett

ATLANTA (AP) - The FBI says it has spotted drones in restricted air space surrounding the Atlanta stadium where college football's title game will be held, despite a temporary ban.

FBI spokesman Kevin Rowson said Sunday that flying drones or aircraft in the area of Mercedes-Benz stadium and the nearby entertainment venues is a violation of federal law.

The University of Alabama faces the University of Georgia Monday night in the College Football Playoff Championship game. The Federal Aviation Administration has banned drones and aircraft from Saturday through the championship game Monday night.

Despite the ban, Rowson said drones were spotted in the restricted area Saturday, and he warned that violators would be prosecuted.

Sunday's statement didn't specify exactly where the drones were spotted Saturday - or who was flying them.

Alabama Coronavirus Cases

Cases: 540083

Reported Deaths: 11038

County	Cases	Deaths
Jefferson	79848	1529
Mobile	41283	809
Madison	35157	506
Tuscaloosa	25925	455
Shelby	25302	249
Montgomery	24723	593
Baldwin	21411	310
Lee	15993	172
Calhoun	14574	319
Morgan	14425	280
Etowah	13925	353
Marshall	12280	225
Houston	10648	282
Elmore	10158	206
Limestone	10070	151
St. Clair	9948	245
Cullman	9768	194
Lauderdale	9460	243
DeKalb	8865	188
Talladega	8341	176
Walker	7261	278
Autauga	7005	108
Jackson	6840	112
Blount	6773	139
Colbert	6322	135
Coffee	5581	118
Dale	4877	113
Russell	4457	38
Chilton	4373	113
Franklin	4263	82
Covington	4138	118
Tallapoosa	4044	153
Escambia	3948	77
Chambers	3596	123
Dallas	3569	153
Clarke	3515	61
Marion	3140	101
Pike	3120	77
Lawrence	3030	98
Winston	2758	73
Bibb	2647	64
Geneva	2541	78
Marengo	2498	65
Pickens	2348	62
Barbour	2320	56
Hale	2240	78
Butler	2191	69
Fayette	2128	62
Henry	1899	43
Cherokee	1848	45
Randolph	1825	42
Monroe	1781	41
Washington	1678	39
Macon	1613	50
Clay	1572	57
Crenshaw	1535	57
Cleburne	1496	41
Lamar	1433	36
Lowndes	1406	53
Wilcox	1274	30
Bullock	1232	42
Conecuh	1108	29
Coosa	1092	28
Perry	1078	26
Sumter	1050	32
Greene	926	34
Choctaw	610	24
Out of AL	0	0
Unassigned	0	0

Tennessee Coronavirus Cases

Cases: 857055

Reported Deaths: 12312

County	Cases	Deaths
Shelby	96452	1629
Davidson	89674	942
Knox	51116	636
Hamilton	44570	496
Rutherford	43212	437
Williamson	28116	217
Sumner	24135	349
Montgomery	20402	227
Wilson	18907	236
Out of TN	18223	99
Sullivan	16952	298
Unassigned	16918	134
Blount	15559	196
Bradley	15100	151
Washington	14691	245
Maury	13545	172
Sevier	13451	175
Putnam	11437	175
Madison	11281	241
Robertson	9793	132
Anderson	8795	171
Hamblen	8632	173
Greene	7928	156
Tipton	7397	104
Coffee	6922	123
Dickson	6854	113
Cumberland	6769	133
Carter	6662	158
Gibson	6542	146
McMinn	6541	98
Bedford	6522	128
Roane	6318	105
Jefferson	6244	125
Loudon	6164	69
Hawkins	6161	107
Lawrence	5984	91
Monroe	5875	96
Warren	5555	81
Dyer	5440	106
Franklin	5164	90
Fayette	5118	78
Cheatham	4578	56
Obion	4550	96
Cocke	4524	99
Lincoln	4371	63
Rhea	4357	75
Marshall	4206	58
Campbell	4174	63
Weakley	4163	65
Giles	4010	100
Henderson	3807	76
White	3681	70
Carroll	3634	83
Macon	3631	78
Hardin	3589	68
Hardeman	3537	64
Henry	3206	76
Lauderdale	3202	44
Claiborne	3188	73
Scott	3152	45
Marion	3128	47
Overton	3025	61
Wayne	2970	34
Hickman	2847	46
McNairy	2842	54
DeKalb	2807	54
Smith	2785	39
Haywood	2715	62
Grainger	2635	50
Morgan	2513	39
Trousdale	2506	22
Fentress	2430	47
Johnson	2419	39
Bledsoe	2158	11
Chester	2154	51
Polk	2087	25
Unicoi	2045	49
Crockett	2035	49
Cannon	1928	31
Union	1922	34
Humphreys	1815	28
Grundy	1795	34
Sequatchie	1718	29
Lake	1705	26
Benton	1673	40
Decatur	1593	39
Lewis	1584	26
Meigs	1391	25
Stewart	1330	28
Jackson	1323	36
Clay	1103	30
Houston	1097	33
Perry	1072	28
Moore	1017	17
Van Buren	855	23
Pickett	759	24
Hancock	593	12