New Drone TFRs: Lubbock and Columbus Drone-Only Rings, a Kinston VIP Zone and New Breeders’ Cup Hours

Two days ago we laid out this week’s rally and World Series no-fly zones. Since then the FAA has published a fresh batch of temporary flight restrictions (TFRs), and one existing TFR has changed its hours. Here’s what’s new as of early Tuesday, October 27.

Tuesday: a drone-only ring in Lubbock

Lubbock already had a large VIP TFR for the President’s visit, running [4:00] to [9:15] PM CDT today (NOTAM 6/2125). The FAA has now added a separate drone-only restriction, NOTAM 6/2530. It covers a 2 nautical mile radius from the surface to 2,000 feet AGL, centered about 5 NM southeast of the Lubbock VOR near Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport. Based on the UTC times in the NOTAM, it runs from [1:55] PM to [8:45] PM CDT. That’s about two hours before the bigger TFR starts.

One quirk: the NOTAM’s own “local” conversion lists [2:55] PM to [9:45] PM. That would only be right on Eastern time. Plan around the earlier window.

Also today: the Corpus Christi and Flint/Howell VIP TFRs we covered Monday are unchanged. The World Series is back at Tropicana Field tonight for Game 4 at 8 PM ET, with Milwaukee leading Tampa Bay 3–0 after a 10–1 win in Game 3. The standard stadium TFR applies: no drones within 3 NM, up to 3,000 feet AGL, from one hour before first pitch until one hour after the game ends. If the Rays win tonight, Game 5 returns Wednesday night.

Wednesday: Kinston, NC, and a second Columbus zone

Kinston, North Carolina (NOTAM 6/2588). This new VIP TFR covers a 5 NM radius from the surface to 4,999 feet AGL, centered on the Kinston Regional Jetport area. It runs from [12:30] PM to [4:15] PM EDT on Wednesday, October 28. It’s a 91.141 restriction, so all flight operations are prohibited, and the NOTAM specifically includes remote-controlled aircraft. Local outlets including WITN and WCTI report that Vice President JD Vance will hold a midterm rally in Kinston. The event starts at [12:30] PM, with remarks expected around 2 PM. As of Monday the venue hadn’t been announced.

Columbus, Ohio (NOTAM 6/2585). The Columbus–Chillicothe VIP TFR we covered Monday (6/2268) is still in place. Now the FAA has added a drone-only ring: 2 NM, surface to 2,000 feet AGL, from [3:30] PM to [11:15] PM EDT Wednesday. Its center sits next to Rickenbacker International Airport, the same area as the first part of the VIP TFR. It starts an hour earlier and ends later than the main restriction there.

Friday and Saturday: changes in Atlanta and at Keeneland

G20 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Atlanta (NOTAM 6/2521). The FAA added another drone-only circle: 1 NM, surface to 400 feet AGL, from 5 PM to 9 PM EDT on Friday, October 30. It’s centered on the same downtown point as the Saturday evening restriction near the Georgia Aquarium (6/2102). That means downtown Atlanta now has evening drone closures on both days, on top of the daytime Midtown TFR for the meetings.

Breeders’ Cup, Keeneland (NOTAM 6/2324). This NOTAM replaces 6/2096 “due to change of time.” The 1 NM, surface-to-400-foot drone ban over the Lexington track now runs 9 AM to 9 PM EDT on both Friday and Saturday, October 30–31. The old window was 5 AM to 5 PM.

Operators supporting the event, public safety, or commercial work with a valid statement of work can request a Special Governmental Interest (SGI) waiver. Everyone else should stay out.

What this means for drone pilots

• Re-check the morning you fly. In three days, two TFRs were added on top of existing VIP zones, and another changed its hours. A briefing from Sunday night isn’t good enough on Wednesday.
• Read the UTC times yourself. The Lubbock NOTAM shows that the “local” time printed in a NOTAM can be wrong. The UTC time is the one that counts.
• Drone-only rings can start before the main TFR. In Lubbock and Columbus, the drone restriction starts earlier than the all-aircraft VIP zone.
• Clocks fall back this weekend. Daylight saving time ends at 2 AM on Sunday, November 1, so the UTC-to-local conversion changes by an hour for anything you fly next week.

Decoding NOTAMs, converting Zulu time and understanding when a TFR applies to you are all core Part 107 knowledge. If you want to be confident reading them, our Part 107 course walks through airspace and NOTAMs step by step.

Sources: FAA TFR notices 6/2530, 6/2125, 6/2588, 6/2585, 6/2268, 6/2521, 6/2324; WITN; WCTI; AP; FAA stadium restrictions.

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