Drone TFRs This Week: Trump and Vance Rallies From Montana to Ohio, Plus the World Series in St. Pete

With the November 3 midterms a week away, President Trump and Vice President Vance have rallies in seven states over the next three days, and each one brings a VIP temporary flight restriction that grounds drones. The World Series also moves to St. Petersburg tonight. This is what tfr.faa.gov showed early Monday, October 26.

Monday, October 26

• Belgrade/Bozeman, Montana (6/2060): Vance speaks at an airport hangar in Belgrade. A 5 NM ring at Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport covers the surface to 4,999 feet AGL from 10:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. MDT.
• Topeka, Kansas (6/2069): Vance has an afternoon rally here. There are two 5 NM rings, surface to 4,999 feet AGL. By our reading, one is near Forbes Field ([3:15] to 7:30 p.m. CDT) and the other is in north Topeka near the rally site ([3:45] to 6:45 p.m. CDT).
• Memphis, Tennessee, and Corinth, Mississippi (6/2066): Trump flies into Memphis for a 6 p.m. CDT rally at Corinth’s Crossroads Arena. A 30 NM outer ring with a 10 NM inner core is centered on Memphis International Airport from [3:15] to 5:30 p.m. and again from [7:30] to 10:30 p.m. CDT. A second 30/10 NM pair centered near Corinth is active from [4:15] to 9 p.m. CDT. Both run from the surface to 17,999 feet MSL.
• Memphis drone-only zone (6/2061): This one bans only drones, within 2 NM of a point near the airport, surface to 2,000 feet AGL, [2:15] to 10:40 p.m. CDT.

Tuesday, October 27

• Corpus Christi, Texas (6/2124 and 6/2070): Trump speaks at 2 p.m. CDT at 990 E. Port Ave. A 32 NM ring with a 12 NM inner core is active from [12:15] to 5:15 p.m. CDT. A separate 2 NM drone-only zone (surface to 2,000 feet AGL) runs from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CDT.
• Lubbock, Texas (6/2125): The Civic Center rally is set for 6 p.m. CDT. A 32/12 NM TFR is active from 4 to 9:15 p.m. CDT.
• Flint and Howell, Michigan (6/2131): Vance speaks at CHI Aviation in Howell around 2 p.m. EDT, mlive reports. There’s a 5 NM ring around Flint’s Bishop International Airport from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. EDT, and a second 5 NM ring near the Livingston County airport in Howell from 11:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. EDT. Both run from the surface to 4,999 feet AGL.

Wednesday, October 28

• Columbus and Chillicothe, Ohio (6/2268): Trump is set to speak at 7 p.m. EDT in Chillicothe. One 30/10 NM pair is centered near Rickenbacker International Airport southeast of Columbus ([4:30] to 7 p.m. and [8:01] to 10:45 p.m. EDT). A second pair is centered on Chillicothe ([5:15] to 9:45 p.m. EDT). Both run from the surface to 17,999 feet MSL.

The World Series heads to Tropicana Field

The Brewers lead the Rays 2-0. According to MLB, Games 3 and 4 are at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg on Monday and Tuesday, and Game 5 (if needed) is Wednesday, all at 8 p.m. ET. No per-game NOTAM is issued. The FAA’s standing stadium TFR bans drones within 3 NM of the ballpark from one hour before the scheduled start until one hour after the game ends. Games 6 and 7, if needed, go back to Milwaukee on October 30 and 31. Check the FAA’s SEAMS tool for live times.

What this means for drone pilots

The large 30 and 32 NM presidential TFRs list unmanned aircraft and model aircraft among the operations not authorized anywhere inside them, including the outer ring. LAANC can’t authorize those flights, and a Part 107 certificate doesn’t exempt you. The 5 NM vice presidential rings ban all aircraft, including remote-controlled aircraft. The drone-only zones in Memphis and Corpus Christi are Special Security Instructions under 14 CFR 99.7. Work that supports public safety, the event itself or a commercial job with a statement of work needs an approved Special Governmental Interest (SGI) waiver.

• Check the morning of the flight. VIP TFRs often change at the last minute, and more drone-only zones can be added around arrival airports.
• Know the penalties. Each NOTAM warns that federal agencies may disrupt, seize or destroy a drone, and pilots face fines, certificate action or criminal charges.
• Plan around the stadium. In St. Petersburg, treat the 3 NM ring around the Trop as closed on game nights.

Reading NOTAM coordinates, time zones and altitude blocks quickly is a core skill on the knowledge test, and it’s covered in depth in our Part 107 course.

Sources: FAA TFR NOTAMs 6/2060, 6/2069, 6/2066, 6/2061, 6/2124, 6/2070, 6/2125, 6/2131 and 6/2268; NBC Montana; KCTV5; WTVA; KRIS 6; FOX 4; mlive; ABC6; MLB; FAA stadium TFR guidance.

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