Man guilty of flying drone over All-Star game at Truist Park
FILE - A DJI Phantom 4 drone is flown during an AviSight Drone Academy training class at the South Point Hotel & Casino on August 26, 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
ATLANTA - A Decatur man has pleaded guilty to a federal offense after flying a drone over Truist Park during the Major League Baseball All-Star game in July 2025. Prosecutors say Mitchell Parsons Hughes flew a drone directly above the stadium despite federally restricted airspace in place at the time.
What we know:
The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a temporary flight restriction designating the ballpark as a No-Drone Zone, which bars unmanned aircraft from operating within a one-mile radius of large-scale sporting events. Court records show Hughes ignored warnings on his drone’s control panel. He also admitted the device was unregistered and that he lacked required training, licensing, and a remote pilot certificate.
FBI agents and transportation investigators handled the case, calling Hughes’ actions unsafe and potentially disruptive to security operations.
On Dec. 5, Hughes pleaded guilty to knowingly violating national defense airspace and was sentenced by a federal magistrate to six months’ probation and a $500 fine.
Federal officials emphasized that violating flight restrictions can result in arrest, prosecution, fines, or imprisonment, and said stricter enforcement is necessary to protect public safety at major events.
What's next:
Similar restrictions will be enforced during major events, including the upcoming FIFA World Cup.