Leaflets dropped at NFL games revive drone concerns

SANTA CLARA — A Northern California man was cited for flying a drone over two NFL games this weekend and dropping political leaflets over the stadiums, reigniting concerns over remote aircraft at major sports events.

Federal and local laws prohibit flying drones near games, and authorities are examining additional ways to prevent the unmanned aircraft from hovering over crowds of tens of thousands of people after the flights Sunday, Santa Clara police Lt. Dan Moreno said. He declined to discuss the security measures being considered.

The biggest concern is a drone injuring spectators, Moreno said.

“Those blades are sharp and spinning fast,” he said, adding that authorities also are concerned with terrorists arming drones, though no such attack has been reported in the United States.

Police cited Tracy Michael Mapes, 55, with misdemeanor charges and released him after a drone was spotted over Levi’s Stadium as the San Francisco 49ers and the Seattle Seahawks played.

The drone released fliers criticizing television news media during the second quarter of the game, but most of the papers blew out of the stadium on the windy and rainy day, Moreno said.

Leaflets also were dropped 30 miles away over OaklandAlameda County Coliseum, where the Raiders hosted the Denver Broncos. The flights didn’t disrupt either game Sunday.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating, spokesman Ian Gregor said.

The agency banned drones during most major sporting events in 2014 after police detained people for using small drones at Carolina Panthers, University of Texas football games and others.