So many drones and aircraft swarmed the site of Kobe Bryant's helicopter crash, the FAA was forced to close the airspace

• The Federal Aviation Administration closed the airspace surrounding the crash of the Sikorsky S-76 helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant.
• The crash killed Bryant and eight other passengers, including his daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant.
• News, rescue, and law enforcement helicopters are a common sight above incident scenes but the FAA told Business Insider that a large number of aircraft including drones operating around the crash site lead to the airspace closure.
• Drones have been involved in numerous recent incidents involving aircraft and bystanders.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Following the crash of a Sikorsky S-76 helicopter carrying Kobe Bryant on Sunday, the Federal Aviation Administration issued an airspace restriction for 5 nautical miles in every direction from the crash site, effectively closing the airspace above Calabasas, California.

The crash killed Bryant and eight other passengers, including his daughter Gianna "Gigi" Bryant.

The restriction, known as a temporary flight restriction, or TFR, was placed at 2:15 p.m. in Los Angeles, according to the FAA's website, shortly after the crash as news, rescue, and law enforcement helicopters flooded the scene.

While those types of helicopters frequently cohabitate when it comes to incidents such as these, a spokesperson for the FAA, however, told Business Insider that it decided to close the airspace, in part, due to the "significant number of aircraft, including drones, operating over the accident site."

The restriction extends five nautical miles in each direction from the site up to 5,000 feet above sea level.

While it's unclear how many drones were operating in the area, the devices have become commonplace in the skies for their civilian uses including aerial photography and videography.

Most drones feature cameras with video recording capabilities, enabling their operators to get closer to the crash scene that a normal helicopter would. The drones are lightweight, nimble, and don't produce the downdrafts of helicopters, making them favorable for filming.

Drones, however, have proven to be unreliable and potentially dangerous for nearby aircraft and bystanders on the ground. As the operator does not typically have a 360-degree point of view, preventing a crash with a nearby aircraft, of which at least five were in the vicinity of the crash according to data from FlightRadar24, becomes difficult.

Though mostly small and compact, drones can have a devastating effect on aircraft. Researchers from the FAA released a report stating that the harder materials found in drones often do the most damage.

In response to the potential threat, airports and airlines have been coming up with ways to detect and avoid drones, CNN reported. Lawmakers have even recommended mandating devices to be installed on drones so that they avoid sensitive airspace.