Birmingham City Council voted Tuesday to establish fines of up to $500 for unauthorized drone flights near ticketed events, giving police a local enforcement tool before the Magic City Classic at Legion Field on October 31, ABC 33/40 reported.
The first violation can draw a $500 citation. Councilor Hunter Williams said a second offense could be arrestable, and officers must see the person operating the drone before issuing a citation. The ordinance implements Alabama House Bill 429, which took effect October 1 and restricts drone flights within 400 feet of, or above, gated ticketed music, sporting and performing-arts events.
For commercial and civil operators, the key condition is that the state law exempts pilots flying lawfully under federal rules—but FAA compliance does not automatically settle every operating question. ABC 33/40 said operators may also need permission from an event sponsor or promoter, and that private-property restrictions, venue policies and federally restricted airspace remain applicable.
Legion Field also falls under the FAA’s stadium flight restriction for NCAA Division I football. As DroneXL reported, that restriction covers the airspace within three nautical miles of a qualifying stadium and below 3,000 feet, from one hour before the game until one hour after it ends. A waiver is required for a flight that would otherwise violate the restriction; holding a Part 107 certificate alone does not necessarily provide an exemption.
The result is a layered operating environment: the Birmingham citation applies near the ticketed event, while the FAA restriction reaches farther around the stadium. A flight outside the city ordinance’s 400-foot area could still create a federal compliance issue.