# Drone sighting halts flights at DC's Reagan National

> Two pilots reported an unauthorized drone near a runway, forcing a 20-minute pause in departures at one of America's most restricted airports.
- Title: Drone sighting halts flights at DC's Reagan National
- Summary: Two pilots reported an unauthorized drone near a runway, forcing a 20-minute pause in departures at one of America's most restricted airports. Drone…
- Keywords: reagan national airport, washington dc, unauthorized drone, flight operations, faa, aviation safety, restricted airspace, drone sighting, news, local, Drone, sighting
- Source: ABC7 New York — https://abc7ny.com/story/reports-unauthorized-drone-briefly-pause-flights-operations-dc-airport-highly-restricted-airspace/19844137
- Published: 2026-09-17T18:18:23+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: reagan national airport, washington dc, unauthorized drone, flight operations, faa, aviation safety, restricted airspace, drone sighting, news, local
## Drone spotted over DC runway
Two pilots reported seeing a drone near Reagan National Airport's Runway 19 on Wednesday night around 8 p.m. Flight departures were paused for about 20 minutes.

> We saw like a drone or something that went flying by, probably halfway down the runway on final.
## DC airspace is heavily restricted
Washington DC has the nation's most restricted airspace. Drones are equipped with GPS geofencing that prevents them from taking off or operating in the area without special FAA authorization.
## Drone would need tampering to fly
For a drone to operate in DC airspace, it would either need special FAA authorization or have been deliberately tampered with to bypass the geofencing technology.
## Drone not confirmed to exist
It remains unclear whether a drone was actually present in the area. The FAA and FBI are investigating the reports but have not confirmed finding an aircraft.
## Sightings happen monthly
The FAA receives more than 100 drone reports near airports every month. Operating a drone in restricted areas can result in fines, criminal charges, and possible jail time.
## FBI asks public to report drones
The FBI works with federal and local law enforcement to investigate illegal drone activity. Anyone spotting unsafe drone use can report it to the FBI tipline at 1-800-CALL-FBI or tips.fbi.gov.

> the FBI works with our federal and local law enforcement partners to detect, track, and investigate illegal drone activity that could potentially threaten aviation safety, critical infrastructure, or public safety.
## Key takeaway

Drone sightings near major airports are common but especially alarming in DC's heavily controlled airspace, where drones are supposed to be unable to operate.