New Jersey, the “Garden State,” offers drone pilots an abundance of natural scenery and mesmerizing coastlines for aerial photography and videography. However, New Jersey is one of the most heavily regulated states when it comes to drone laws. Pilots who are eager to take to the skies should take a pause and do their research first on where it is legal and illegal to fly a drone in New Jersey.
Uninformed drone pilots could regrettably find themselves flying in any of these five highly illegal places to fly a drone in New Jersey and facing serious fines or even jail time.
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Five Places Drones Are Banned in New Jersey
According to our research, it is illegal to fly a drone at any of the five New Jersey locations listed below. This is not a fully comprehensive list of all the places where flying a drone may be against the law, so drone pilots are encouraged to do their own research as well. Follow the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules for drone pilots and observe any local rules established by the New Jersey Legislature. We have found this directory of New Jersey drone laws from UAV Coach to be helpful.
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.
1. New Jersey State Parks & Forests
The New Jersey Parks and Forestry State Park Service has issued an official rule banning the use of drones in all New Jersey State Parks & Forests. The rule was issued in 2015 as Policy No. 2.38 when the Park Service observed an increase in the number and use of drones.
This rule was put into place to protect the health and safety of park lands and waters as well as park resources and visitors. However, drone operators who can demonstrate the necessity and safety of their flight may be able to obtain special permission from the Assistant Director, State Park Service. Approval is typically reserved for use of drones by government agencies, first-responder agencies, and Universities conducting scientific research projects.
Looking for places to fly a drone in New Jersey? Read this article next: Top 7 Best Places to Fly a Drone in New Jersey
Source: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
2. Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst
It is illegal to fly a drone on the U.S. military facility, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst (JB-MDL) located outside of Trenton, New Jersey. The ban has made JB-MDL a “No Drone Zone” for all personally/privately owned drones anywhere on the Joint Base. In the past, there were allowances made for some privately owned recreational drones in limited areas of the installation under strict guidelines; however, this has been replaced by a complete ban.
Not only is it illegal to fly anywhere inside JB-MDL, but there are restrictions around the perimeter of the base as well. The FAA has imposed drone flight restrictions within approximately 5 miles of the airfields associated with the installation. The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) licenses approximately 400 aeronautical facilities such as airports, heliports, balloonports, and seaplane bases. Drone operators must give way and may not interfere with manned aircraft.
Flying too close could cause damage to the craft, such as when a New Jersey drone pilot lost sight of his drone and collided with an Army helicopter in 2017.
Another incident in March 2020 proved the security concerns of flying a drone on/near a military base, as well as demonstrated the seriousness with which the U.S. Government takes the issue. An investigation by the New Jersey Office of Special Investigations led to two Hudson County, New Jersey, men being charged with conspiring to use drones to smuggle contraband, including marijuana, steroids, syringes, cell phones and cell phone equipment, into the federal correctional facility at Fort Dix, adjacent to JB-MDL.
Anyone who sees a drone flying at JB-MDL is asked to notify the JB-MDL Emergency Communications Center at (609) 754-1730/1731.
Source: Lou Poulas
3. U.S. National Parks and Recreation Areas
The National Park Service (NPS) issued Policy Memorandum 14-05 in June 2014, banning drones from all lands and waters administered by the NPS, including all National Parks and Recreation Areas. The restriction was issued due to complaints from park visitors, wildlife interference, and drone crashes at NPS sites. While the beautiful, natural, and historic resources of National Parks have an obvious appeal for drone pilots, they could be penalized for flying with up to six months in jail and a maximum $5,000 fine.
Here are the NPS lands in New Jersey where drones are banned: Appalachian Trail, Delaware Water Gap, Ellis Island, Gateway National Recreation Area (includes Fort Hancock), Great Egg Harbor River, Lower Delaware River, Morristown National Historic Park, New Jersey Pinelands Reserve, Paterson Great Falls, Thomas Edison’s home, and the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route.
There are exceptions available for flying at these sites with a Special Use Permit for administrative purposes such as scientific study, search and rescue operations, fire operations, and law enforcement.
4. The Statue of Liberty
Situated between New Jersey and New York, the Statue of Liberty is off-limits for drones regardless of which state they launch from. The Federal Aviation Administration placed a ban on drone flights in proximity to the Statue of Liberty in October 2017 to address concerns about unauthorized drone operations over Department of the Interior (DOI) sites. Some other DOI sites around the United States included in the ban are Mount Rushmore (SD), the Hoover Dam (NV), and Jefferson National Expansion Memorial (MO) to name a few.
“Operators who violate the airspace restrictions may be subject to enforcement action, including potential civil penalties and criminal charges.”
- The Federal Aviation Administration
It should be noted that drones are also banned across the entire boundary of Ellis Island, under the National Park Service policy. While the NPS ban already included the Statue of Liberty, the FAA’s additional restriction reinforced the message that drones launched from any nearby area (even if it’s outside National Park lands) are completely banned from flying in the airspace surrounding the Statue of Liberty.
Source: New Jersey Leisure Guide
5. New Jersey Wildlife Refuges
According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, it is illegal to fly a drone on Wildlife Refuge property. One of the major concerns is drone interference with wildlife, particularly birds. Collisions between birds and airplanes are already known issues. Programs and solutions have been implemented to minimize the risk of bird collisions with airplanes, but the risks posed by drones are relatively new. Since drones typically fly at lower altitudes than manned aircraft, they are more likely to get too close to wildlife. Not only are collisions a concern, but the noise from a drone can disturb nesting birds or interfere with their migratory paths.
Capturing a “birds-eye-view” might be one of the most exciting parts of flying a drone, but be sure not to harm any birds in the process. Wildlife Refuges in New Jersey where drone flying is illegal are Cape May Wildlife Refuge, Supawna Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, Wallkill River National Wildlife Refuge, and Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge.
Places to Fly a Drone Legally and Safely in New Jersey
New Jersey contains a lot of complex airspace. With so many rules to follow, it may seem like there is nowhere left for even responsible drone pilots to fly. But, that’s not the case. Drone pilots can still find scenic and spacious places to fly a drone in New Jersey with a bit of research and flight planning. We recommend checking out our post, Top 7 Best Places to Fly a Drone In New Jersey, as a starting point for inspiration on where to fly.
With that said, drone pilots should always do their own research when planning a flight. Drone regulations are evolving quickly and it takes some effort to stay informed. A helpful resource for drone pilots with up-to-date information is the B4UFLY mobile app, which uses interactive maps to show users where they can and cannot fly.
Additionally, if you are in need of a professional drone services provider in New Jersey to assist you with commercial drone flights, contact us at The Drone Life.
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.
