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: 414583

Reported Deaths: 5945

County	Cases	Deaths
Jefferson	60842	887
Mobile	29590	538
Madison	26466	183
Tuscaloosa	20537	267
Montgomery	18562	304
Shelby	18181	112
Baldwin	15841	177
Lee	12120	97
Morgan	12002	112
Etowah	11488	142
Calhoun	10863	197
Marshall	10048	106
Houston	8405	123
Cullman	7922	94
Limestone	7850	73
Elmore	7670	101
DeKalb	7572	82
St. Clair	7417	120
Lauderdale	7402	82
Talladega	6036	108
Walker	5834	176
Jackson	5719	37
Colbert	5222	70
Blount	5219	80
Autauga	5075	55
Coffee	4314	56
Dale	3882	78
Franklin	3621	45
Chilton	3329	65
Covington	3255	67
Russell	3189	10
Escambia	3098	42
Dallas	2979	88
Chambers	2757	69
Clarke	2729	33
Tallapoosa	2591	107
Pike	2458	29
Lawrence	2393	45
Marion	2386	49
Winston	2225	35
Bibb	2113	47
Geneva	1963	31
Marengo	1963	29
Pickens	1953	31
Hale	1725	42
Barbour	1696	36
Butler	1669	58
Fayette	1640	26
Cherokee	1583	30
Henry	1492	19
Monroe	1436	17
Randolph	1376	35
Washington	1354	26
Clay	1244	46
Crenshaw	1174	44
Lamar	1168	19
Cleburne	1151	23
Macon	1119	35
Lowndes	1079	35
Wilcox	999	21
Bullock	971	28
Perry	950	19
Conecuh	928	20
Sumter	891	26
Greene	751	23
Coosa	598	14
Choctaw	508	24
Out of AL	0	0
Unassigned	0	0

Tennessee Coronavirus Cases

Cases: 670482

Reported Deaths: 8232

County	Cases	Deaths
Shelby	74761	1088
Davidson	69030	648
Knox	37822	389
Hamilton	33776	322
Rutherford	32471	281
Unassigned	22060	125
Williamson	20903	138
Sumner	17850	228
Out of TN	15662	77
Wilson	14171	152
Montgomery	13874	145
Sullivan	12293	207
Washington	11674	191
Blount	11537	120
Maury	10746	120
Bradley	10500	91
Sevier	10243	103
Putnam	9730	131
Madison	8949	175
Robertson	7433	85
Hamblen	6779	106
Anderson	6623	101
Greene	6459	108
Tipton	6056	63
Gibson	5534	109
Coffee	5513	81
Dickson	5247	77
Cumberland	5235	71
Bedford	5207	85
Roane	5076	77
Carter	5017	108
Lawrence	5001	69
McMinn	4985	72
Warren	4875	53
Loudon	4815	49
Dyer	4664	81
Jefferson	4609	75
Monroe	4420	62
Hawkins	4333	67
Franklin	3999	56
Obion	3939	74
Fayette	3855	51
Rhea	3717	55
Lincoln	3710	44
Cocke	3366	55
Weakley	3360	48
Marshall	3331	36
Cheatham	3285	28
Henderson	3282	53
Giles	3150	71
Campbell	3146	39
Hardeman	3043	51
White	3043	42
Carroll	3001	59
Hardin	2935	46
Lauderdale	2887	31
Macon	2828	50
Wayne	2582	19
Henry	2539	57
Overton	2469	42
DeKalb	2373	40
Haywood	2346	44
McNairy	2316	42
Smith	2284	27
Trousdale	2278	14
Marion	2200	31
Scott	2197	31
Hickman	2181	34
Fentress	2084	30
Grainger	2021	34
Claiborne	1987	21
Johnson	1948	30
Morgan	1836	13
Crockett	1789	38
Bledsoe	1711	10
Chester	1698	36
Unicoi	1628	43
Cannon	1534	19
Lake	1530	19
Decatur	1451	24
Grundy	1374	20
Polk	1373	17
Union	1361	21
Sequatchie	1325	18
Humphreys	1298	17
Benton	1296	34
Lewis	1260	20
Meigs	1107	16
Stewart	1030	20
Jackson	1025	20
Perry	932	24
Houston	925	22
Clay	906	26
Moore	785	8
Pickett	661	19
Van Buren	639	7
Hancock	393	6