Did you know that West Virginia is the most forested state in the US? It’s also the only state completely within the Appalachian Mountain range. This makes it a scenic area with plenty of great places for drone flying.
In this article, we’ll lay out everything you need to know about federal and state drone laws and then give you our top 7 picks for places to fly drones in West Virginia.
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Drone Laws in West Virginia - U.S. Federal Drone Laws
No matter where you are in the US, you need to follow federal airspace laws when flying a drone. For recreational flyers, this means first passing The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). Then if your drone weighs more than .55 lbs, you must register it with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Registration costs $5 and lasts for 3 years.
If you do all that, you’re ready to fly at or below 400 feet in uncontrolled (class G) airspace and in controlled airspace with prior Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) permission. But make sure to always keep an eye out for other aircraft.
If you want to fly your drone commercially (as part of a business), you’ll need to take a harder knowledge test, register your drone, and follow all FAA Part 107 drone rules, which include things like staying within visual line of sight (VLOS) and yielding right of way.
NOTE: This article is purely for entertainment purposes only. It is the responsibility of the pilot to properly research, follow, and abide to all local, state, or federal aviation laws. FAA permission may be required for flight within these listed locations.
Local and State Drone Laws for West Virginia
On top of federal drone regulations, there are also state and local drone laws you need to follow. For example, you must request permission from an area superintendent to fly your drone within state parks, forests, and rail trails.
The state also forbids flying drones over the private property of someone else without their permission. And you can’t fly your drone where it might interfere with law enforcement operations or put people’s safety at risk. Of course, these are things you should do anyway. Ultimately, the best thing to do is to check for any local drone laws before you fly.
Now, let’s get to the heart of this article, which is the 7 best places to fly drones in West Virginia:
The Best Places to Fly a Drone in West Virginia
Video Credit: Sky Films
1. Morgantown
First up, we have Morgantown. It’s a little city in the north of West Virginia near the Pennsylvania border. Here, you can fly your drone over the Monongahela River that runs through the city. We recommend taking off from the Caperton Trail Park or Mountaineer Heritage Park. Both are right next to the Morgantown Lock and Dam, so you can get some cool aerial footage of it, too.
From there, you can check out the famous Core Arboretum. It’s a 91-acre botanical garden along the river. It’s open daily and free to the public. Here, you’ll see lots of plants and trees from above, and some of the trees are over 200 years old!
Lastly, if you prefer to fly in a large open space, head over to White Park. It’s 170 acres big and includes the Cobun Creek Reservoir. But make sure you watch out for flying baseballs near the fields!
Most of Morgantown is in class D airspace due to the Morgantown Municipal Airport (KMGW). So you’ll need to request LAANC authorization before you fly. Also, watch out for the Mountaineer Field at Milan Puskar Stadium. If there’s a sports event going on, there’ll be a temporary flight restriction (TFR) and you won’t be able to fly. So always double check beforehand.
Video Credit: Meridian Media
2. Summersville Lake
Next, we have Summersville Lake. This is the largest lake in West Virginia with 2,700 acres and over 60 miles of shoreline. It’s technically a reservoir formed by a rock-fill dam on Gauley River. The water makes for some beautiful aerial photography with the trees in the background. We recommend parking at Road Side Park and launching your drone from there. Just be aware that flying in the Gauley River National Recreation Area to the west is illegal.
Video Credit: Joey Ferris
3. Williamson Rail Yard
If you’re interested in some industrial shots, head over to the city of Williamson. It has a large rail yard in the middle of the city that was built to service the many coal mines in the area. Here, you can fly over the train tracks to capture some unique shots with many parked rail cars pretty much anytime you go. The whole city is in class G airspace, so no need to worry about special flight restrictions either.
Video Credit: Brandon Essington
4. Wheeling
Wheeling is a little city in the northern part of the state that sits along the Ohio River. In fact, Wheeling Island splits the river. The whole island looks cool from above and it has some historic Victorian architecture that makes it feel like you’re stepping back into history.
You can also fly along the Wheeling Suspension Bridge that connects the island to the mainland. Stretching a total of 1,010 feet, the 19th-century bridge was once the largest suspension bridge in the world. All the suspension cables make it an impressive sight.
From there, you can head to Heritage Port, a vibrant riverfront park, for some more lovely views of the waterside. Otherwise, you can move further inland to Wheeling Park, where you can fly over 406 acres of open field and trees.
Just note that a small portion of the city lies in class D airspace due to the Wheeling Ohio County (KHLG) airport to the north of the city.
Video Credit: Milledge Austin
5. Kanawha River
The Kanawha River stretches across the state of West Virginia for 97 miles (156 km) and flows into the Ohio River at Point Pleasant. As long as you stay away from the city of Charleston and don’t go so far south that the river turns into New River, you can pretty much launch your drone from anywhere along the river to capture some great footage of the water flowing between large areas of forest.
Video Credit: Alex Linger
6. Clarksburg
Clarksburg is a small city in north-central West Virginia. There are a few places here that make for good drone flying areas! You can start at the Clarksburg City Park. It’s located along Elk Creek and is open every day from 7 AM to 9 PM.
If you want to get up to a higher elevation, head up Pinnickinnick Street to Pinnickinnick Mountain. At 1,453 feet, it’s the tallest peak in the area, so you can get some nice shots of the entire city below.
To get a closer look at some of the more interesting architecture around, head to The Waldomore. It’s a historic neoclassical brick mansion with four giant white pillars at the entrance. Fly your drone overtop to get some cool shots of this structure which was built all the way back in 1839.
While most of Clarksburg is in class G airspace, some of the eastern side falls into class D airspace due to the nearby North Central West Virginia Airport (KCKB).
Video Credit: LuvingTheOutdoors
7. Stonecoal Reservoir
Last on our list, we have Stonecoal Reservoir. It sits halfway between the cities of Weston and Buckhannon. It’s a 550-acre lake surrounded by hardwood forest. It’s a popular spot for fishing, but you can also find some great places to launch your drone and capture the scenic views of the water and the trees in the background. The whole lake is in class G airspace.
Connecting with Drone Pilots in West Virginia
We hope you enjoy flying your drone in these West Virginia locations! If you need more suggestions on where to fly, consider joining a local club like the WEST VIRGINIA Drone Club on Facebook to meet other drone enthusiasts in the area. They’ll have more hidden gems of places to fly that they can share with you.
And if you ever need professional drone photography, The Drone Life can help. Our expert drone pilots have experience in recording special events, creating marketing materials for businesses, and much more. Just check out our website for a closer look at what we have to offer, and don’t hesitate to contact us today for a free consultation.
This article is purely for entertainment purposes only. It is the responsibility of the pilot to properly research, follow, and abide to all local, state, or federal aviation laws. FAA permission may be required for flight within these listed locations.
