CALIFORNIA – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) announced February 2 that a California man was federally charged for flying a drone into restricted airspace around Levi’s Stadium during an NFL game, violating a temporary flight restriction (TFR) imposed by the FAA.
Junwei Guo, 27, of San Francisco, operated a drone within the airspace surrounding Levi’s Stadium on Nov. 9, 2025, during a game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams, according to the criminal complaint.
The FAA has issued a TFR prohibiting all aircraft, including drones, from flying within three nautical miles of stadiums seating 30,000 or more during regular or postseason NFL games, among other events.
The “stadium TFR” designates the restricted airspace as “National Defense Airspace” and applies for a set period before, during, and after the event.
Faces up to one year in prison
The complaint alleges that Guo flew the drone up to roughly 2,300 feet, raising serious public safety concerns and risking disruption to local air traffic control.
Guo allegedly failed to register the drone, obtain a remote pilot certificate, secure FAA authorization to fly in national defense airspace, or meet the FAA’s recreational use requirements.
A complaint only alleges a crime; the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, the defendant faces up to one year in prison and a $100,000 fine for violating national defense airspace under 49 U.S.C. § 46307.
“No Drone Zone” established for Super Bowl LX
The FAA, working with the FBI, has established a “No Drone Zone” for Super Bowl LX at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on February 8, 2026, with additional drone restrictions around the stadium and downtown San Francisco in the days leading up to the event.
For more information, visit https://www.faa.gov/newsroom/faa-and-fbi-announce-strict-no-drone-zones-super-bowl-lx
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