In late June, the Federal Aviation Administration probed the Dallas Cowboys for illegally flying a drone over their rookie minicamp in May to capture unique angles.
The federal agency also looked into the reported drone use by the New York Giants and New England Patriots.
Well, chances are, the FAA won't be looking into National Football League franchises with such a roving eye anymore. According to Bloomberg, the FAA has granted the league permission to use drones to shoot films, documentaries and television spots, making the NFL the first major U.S. sports league to receive such a green light. Even with the FAA's permission, though, the NFL still can't film actual games with drones and can only operate the aircraft over empty stadiums.
In an FAA letter dated September 17, the agency granted the NFL permission to use drones, but with several conditions attached. Rules include that drones used by the league must weigh less than 55 pounds, while traveling no faster than 100 miles per hour and flying no more than 400 feet above the ground.
Despite those limitations, the league has come a long way with the agency in a short time and can absolutely use the technology to help add another layer to NFL Films, which already enhance fans' experience of football, bringing them closer to the stories within the game.
"NFL Films has a long history of embracing and employing the latest technology," NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said in an email to Bloomberg.
McCarthy added, though, that the drones won't be used to shoot teams' practices.
With the NFL getting permission to fly drones, can Major League Baseball or the National Basketball Association be far behind?
