FAA investigating drone that brought Ravens-Bengals game to a halt

If you watched the Bengals-Ravens last night, you might’ve noticed that league officials suspended play as soon as a spooky looking object with blinking lights as it hovered over M&T Stadium.

It was a drone. And drones are a no-go when it comes to NFL games and big stadiums hosting huge crowds. It’s why stadium officials halted action. And it’s why the feds are now involved to figure out who was behind the drone. The FAA confirmed to the Baltimore Banner that it now was investigating the matter. Maybe it was a drone hobbyist who wasn’t aware of the well-publicized rules. Or the reasons could be more sinister.

If you missed the Bengals-Ravens game, Front Office Sports posted video of the drone. t blinked festive red and green lights as it flew overhead. UFO, anyone?

The NFL has stopped play in the Bengals-Ravens game because someone is flying a drone inside the stadiumpic.twitter.com/6VBqoqv2bM

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) November 17, 2023

Incident in 4th quarter of Ravens-Bengals wasn’t drone related

There was another incident that stopped the Bengals-Ravens game in the fourth quarter. But stadium officials told the Banner it was unrelated to a drone.

And news breaking Friday suggests that the drone operator was just having some fun. The Banner reported the unnamed pilot told Maryland State Police that he was unaware of the rules. The police were able to get the pilot to land the drone.

So here are the rules. The FAA will restrict drones from flying within three miles of a stadium. The no-fly restrictions start one hour before kickoff of the event and extend until one hour after the game ends. This is the case for the NFL and Major League Baseball. NCAA Division I football games also have the same requirements, as does NASCAR and Indy Car racing. Basically, the rules are in place for any outdoor seated event with a crowd of 30,000 or larger.

Of course, the Ravens-Bengals game featured some legal drones. And lots and lots of them. The Ravens did an incredible tribute to legendary linebacker Ray Lewis. Drones generated all the lights. The X account for NFL on Prime Video shared a clip of the tribute. It’s definitely cool – check it out below.

This @raylewis drone display is incredible!#TNFonPrime | @Ravens pic.twitter.com/B5ozZkm7oA

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) November 17, 2023

Unfortunately, the Ravens-Bengals game made news for more than just the score and the drones, both legal and rogue. The Ravens did beat the Bengals, their divisional rivals, 34-20. However, two major players suffered season-ending injuries.

Ravens tight end Mark Andrews is out for the year after breaking a bone and suffering ligament damage in his ankle. And on Friday afternoon, Cincinnati announced that star quarterback Joe Burrow is out for the year after injuring his right wrist as the Bengals took a 10-7 lead over the Ravens. Burrow will need surgery after an MRI revealed ligament damage,