Daily update, 28 October: a drone halts Fleetwood v Arsenal, and a restriction near Derry on 31 October

A drone halts Fleetwood Town against Arsenal

BBC Sport reports that Fleetwood Town's Carabao Cup match against Arsenal on 27 October "was delayed for more than eight minutes after a drone was flown above the stadium while play was ongoing."

According to the BBC, referee Michael Salisbury "stopped proceedings with one minute and 40 seconds on the clock after spotting the drone flying above the pitch while Arsenal waited to take a free-kick at Highbury Stadium."

The BBC says the game "was halted while the referee spoke to the management and staff on both benches, with police also investigating." It adds: "A commentator for Sky later said police had located the drone operator." We found no police statement on the incident at the time of writing.

The BBC reports that "just as the players were about to leave the pitch, the drone flew away and play restarted shortly after. The drone then dropped to the ground in a local housing estate." It says "There were seven minutes of stoppage time added to the end of the first half because of the delay."

What the football authorities' guidance says

The BBC quotes guidance from the Football Association: "Upon the sighting of a drone above a football pitch or stadium, the referee should stop the game and advise both team captains and managers that play will not continue until the drone has passed, or left the vicinity of the players and spectators."

It also reports that "The English Football League (EFL) has had a policy on drones since the 2023-24 season", under which "the club's safety officer will work closely with the police, match control room and match officials to assess whether the drone presents a risk to the public or is being used with criminal intent."

The EFL said, according to the BBC: "As happened this evening, they work collaboratively to ensure that the drone is removed and the game restarted promptly and safely."

Also today: a restriction near Derry on 31 October

Our story this morning covers The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (Derry, Londonderry) Regulations 2026, which restrict unmanned aircraft below 1,300 feet above mean sea level in a defined area from 1600 to 2300 UTC on 31 October 2026, unless flying under a permission from the Police Service of Northern Ireland Silver Commander for Derry Halloween Festival. The full details are in that article.