A mini-drone lands with a 12-pack of beer for ice fishing anglers on Minnesota’s Lake Mille Lacs. (Lakemaid Beer via Associated Press)

This is why we can’t have nice things!

The FAA has batted down a Minnesota microbrewery’s plan for Lakemaid Beer drones to deliver beer to lake ice fishermen. This is a shame. Keyed to fishers’ GPS locations, the drones would swoop in with a fresh twelve-pack to gladden their spirits through a long day of fishing in a relatively civilian-free zone. What could have gone wrong? A light hop with some light hops! They really missed an opportunity for great PR. What better way to start incorporating the drones into our daily lives than by having them bring us beer? If the Machines begin their Rise with brews in hand, I for one will welcome our new robot overlords.

As yet, commercial drone operation is banned, even with beer involved. And there won’t be commercial drone regulations until 2015.

Even if the FAA is being a terrible spoilsport, I give it some points for all the puns FAA spokesman Les Dorr made when telling ABC news about their dispiriting decision. (“The media just hops on it. I hope things finally have come to a head.”)

Still, of all sad words of tongue and pen, the saddest are: there could have been peaceful drones delivering us beer.