Fleet Week and the California Capital Airshow close Bay Area and Sacramento skies to drones October 8 to 11
Two FAA NOTAMs ground drones over San Francisco's northern waterfront and around Mather in Sacramento County during show hours from Thursday through Sunday. The San Francisco circle has a 5-nautical-mile radius and reaches 15,000 feet MSL.
By Joel Kelly
What changed: Update, October 5, 2026: the FAA added a drone-only security restriction over the San Francisco waterfront. NOTAM FDC 6/7455, issued under 14 CFR 99.7, covers a circle with a 3-nautical-mile radius centered at 37 degrees 49 minutes 29 seconds north, 122 degrees 25 minutes 24 seconds west, from the surface to 3,000 feet above ground. It is active from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time each day, October 8 to 11, a longer daily window than the air show restriction. Only drones flying for public safety, event operations, or commercial work with a statement of work can be approved, and each needs a Special Governmental Interest waiver from waivers.faa.gov. The NOTAM warns that federal agencies may seize or destroy a drone they judge a threat.
Decision brief
If you planned to film the Fleet Week air show from the waterfront, the Golden Gate Bridge, or Sausalito, leave the drone in the bag during show hours. Only air traffic control can authorize a flight inside these circles, and LAANC does not. Outside the listed hours the restrictions are not active, but the usual airspace rules still apply.
- San Francisco
- 5 NM, to 15,000 ft
- Sacramento County
- 7 NM, to 16,000 ft
- Authority
- 14 CFR 91.145
FDC 6/6741, October 8 to 11
FDC 6/6740, near Mather Airport
Aviation event restrictions; ATC authorization only
San Francisco
Fleet Week covers the bay from the Golden Gate to Treasure Island.
The FAA issued NOTAM FDC 6/6741 for the 2026 San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show under 14 CFR 91.145, the rule for aviation events. It covers a circle with a 5-nautical-mile radius centered at 37 degrees 49 minutes north, 122 degrees 25 minutes 36 seconds west, over the bay near Alcatraz, from the surface up to and including 15,000 feet MSL. That circle takes in the city's northern waterfront and downtown, the Golden Gate Bridge, Sausalito, Tiburon, and Treasure Island. No pilot may fly inside it unless air traffic control authorizes it.
The San Francisco restriction is active from 12:30 to 6 p.m. Pacific time on Thursday, October 8, and from 11 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, October 9 to 11. The NOTAM lists Northern California TRACON at 916-366-4080 as the contact for pilots.
Sacramento
A wider circle around Mather, into the evening.
A second NOTAM, FDC 6/6740, covers the California Capital Airshow. Its circle has a 7-nautical-mile radius centered at 38 degrees 33 minutes 14 seconds north, 121 degrees 17 minutes 52 seconds west, near Mather Airport, from the surface to 16,000 feet MSL. It is active from 2 to 5:30 p.m. Pacific time on October 8, noon to 9 p.m. on October 9, and 3 to 9 p.m. on October 10 and 11. The same rule applies: no flights without ATC authorization.
Before you fly
Check the clock and the circle.
Both NOTAMs cite aerobatic flying as the reason. A drone inside either circle during an active window breaks the restriction even at low altitude, because both start at the surface.
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