People who are thinking of taking a closer look at Pope Francis once he makes his first visit to the United States later in the month using their drones are out of luck, as the Federal Aviation Administration ruled that the remote-controlled devices are banned in the areas where the Pope will be.
Pope Francis will be making stops at New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C., with all three areas having been labeled as no-drone zones from Sept. 22 to Sept. 27.
The ban on drones is a part of wider restrictions that will limit unauthorized flights in areas where the Pope will visit, as a form of security precaution. The flight restrictions, however, will not be applied for aircraft used for law enforcement, military, regularly scheduled flights by airlines and cargo-carrying flights that have received approval from the Transportation Security Administration.
Michael Huerta, the administrator of the FAA, calls for people that are planning to attend any of the events on the Pope's visit to leave their drones at home.
"Anyone flying a drone within the designated restricted areas may be subject to civil and criminal charges," Huerta warned.
The restriction will not be a new one for drone owners, as the remote-controlled devices are usually banned from being used in large gathering of people such as sports-related events. In addition, restrictions on flights are in place for the Capital in the name of national security.
The no-fly zone in Washington D.C., however, does not only affect drones but also airplanes coming from small airports located in Maryland.
Pope Francis will be arriving on Sept. 22 at the Joint Base Andrews near Washington, with the meeting at the White House with President Barack Obama the following day. On Sept. 24, the Pope will be speaking to a Congress joint session.
Pope Francis will then be meeting with the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 25, which will be followed by a procession that will run through Central Park. The Pope will then preside mass at the Madison Square Garden.
The Pope will then fly from the John F. Kennedy airport on Sept. 26 to Philadelphia, where he will be holding mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Pope Francis will also be visiting Independence Hall.
Pope Francis will leave the country on Sept. 27.
