Halloween Week Drone No-Fly Zones: G20 in Atlanta, the Breeders’ Cup, West Hollywood and Two Air Shows

Plan Halloween-week flights now. Beyond the campaign-rally TFRs, the FAA has published drone-only security zones for a G20 ministerial meeting in Atlanta, the Breeders’ Cup in Lexington and West Hollywood’s Halloween street party. Two air shows and several stadium events are also on the calendar. These were on tfr.faa.gov as of Monday morning, October 26. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1, so the Sunday times below are standard time.

Security zones that ban only drones

These Special Security Instructions under 14 CFR 99.7 ban unmanned aircraft only.

• Huntsville, Alabama (6/2076): 1 NM around a point in Huntsville, from the surface to 1,000 feet AGL, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT each day from Tuesday, October 27, through Thursday, October 29. The NOTAM’s internal label mentions the FBI and counter-UAS. The FAA’s public text doesn’t say what’s happening there.
• Atlanta, G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (6/2101 and 6/2102): The State Department says Secretary Rubio hosts the meeting on October 30 and 31. There’s a 1 NM, surface-to-400-foot zone in central Atlanta from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. EDT Friday and 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. EDT Saturday. A separate 1 NM zone around the Georgia Aquarium runs from 5 to 9 p.m. EDT Saturday.
• Lexington, Kentucky, Breeders’ Cup (6/2096): The Breeders’ Cup World Championships are at Keeneland on Friday and Saturday. A 1 NM zone, surface to 400 feet AGL, is active from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT both days.
• West Hollywood, California (6/2103): The city’s Halloween Carnaval takes over Santa Monica Boulevard Saturday night. A 2 NM zone, surface to 1,000 feet AGL, runs from 2 p.m. PDT Saturday until 2 a.m. Sunday.

Mayport: closed to all aircraft through Friday night

TFR 6/1949 near Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville, Florida, is broader. It’s issued under the same 99.7 authority but bans all aircraft from the surface to 2,500 feet MSL in an area around the station, with stacked shelves reaching 14,000 feet MSL farther out. It’s active every day from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. EDT through the early hours of Saturday, October 31. The NOTAM’s internal title includes the word “TRITON.” The FAA doesn’t give a reason.

Air shows

• Greater Atlanta Airshow, Peachtree City (6/1910): 5 NM around Atlanta Regional Airport-Falcon Field, surface to 16,000 feet MSL. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT Thursday, noon to 5 p.m. EDT Friday and Saturday, and noon to 5 p.m. EST Sunday.
• Wings Over Houston, Ellington Airport (6/1947): 5 NM, surface to 15,000 feet MSL, for performers including the USAF Thunderbirds. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to about 7 p.m. CDT Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CDT Saturday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST Sunday.

Air show TFRs under 14 CFR 91.145 cover all aircraft, drones included, unless ATC authorizes the flight.

Stadium and public gathering TFRs

These come from the large-gathering authority Congress added in the 2024 FAA reauthorization (49 U.S.C. 44812). Each runs from the surface to 400 feet AGL:

• Pittsburgh (6/2171): Pitt vs. Georgia Tech at Acrisure Stadium. 2 NM, 8 a.m. to midnight EDT Saturday.
• Raleigh (6/2265): NC State vs. Cal tailgating. 0.8 NM, 7 to 11 a.m. EDT Saturday.
• Glendale, Arizona (6/2204): Monster Jam at State Farm Stadium. 1.5 NM, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. MST Sunday.
• Foxborough, Massachusetts (6/2266): Revolution vs. Inter Miami. 1 NM, 6 to 10:30 p.m. EST Sunday.

The FAA’s standing stadium TFR also covers NFL, MLB and Division I college football games. It reaches 3 NM out, from one hour before to one hour after each game.

What this means for drone pilots

None of these zones can be unlocked with LAANC. In the 99.7 drone-only zones, an approved Special Governmental Interest waiver is required for flights that support public safety, the event itself or a commercial job with a statement of work. You request it through the FAA’s waiver portal and coordinate with the System Operations Support Center. Everyone else should plan around them. The NOTAMs warn that federal agencies may take down or seize drones they consider a threat.

• Watch the time zones and the clock change. Several of these NOTAMs list hours only in UTC, and a one-hour slip on Sunday can put you inside an active TFR.
• Expect more. New drone-only TFRs often appear a day or two before events.
• Check B4UFLY or tfr.faa.gov again right before you launch.

Converting UTC times and reading NOTAMs like these is tested on the knowledge exam. Our Part 107 course walks through both.

Sources: FAA TFR NOTAMs 6/2076, 6/2101, 6/2102, 6/2096, 6/2103, 6/1949, 6/1910, 6/1947, 6/2171, 6/2265, 6/2204 and 6/2266; U.S. Department of State; Keeneland; City of West Hollywood; FAA stadium TFR guidance.

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