So you have a drone and you’re looking to fly. That’s great! There are lots of places you can go for some awesome aerial views.
But there are also areas that are completely off limits. The US has federal, state, and local laws that tightly regulate airspace.
These no fly zones, sometimes called “no drone zones,” include airports, stadiums, concert halls, prisons, wildlife preserves, and more.
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Now, you may ask why drones need to follow the airspace regulations. It’s because the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) considers them an aircraft. So they have to follow many of the same rules as helicopters and planes.
There are also specific rules for flying drones recreationally and commercially.
Recreational pilots need to pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) and make sure to register their drone with the FAA. Commercial pilots have to pass a knowledge test and follow all Part 107 rules, which include flying within visual line of sight (VLOS) and yielding to other aircraft.
Failure to comply with these rules can lead to civil penalties of up to $27,500 and criminal penalties of up to $250,000 with three years in prison. So you definitely don’t want to take any risks by flying your drone in the following illegal areas:
1. The White House
The White House is off limits to drones for obvious reasons. It houses the president of the United States and his administration along with highly protected national intelligence.
In fact, ever since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the entire DC area is considered National Defense Airspace (NDA) and is the most restricted airspace in the country.
The Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) is a 15-mile radius ring around the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), in which flying is 100% prohibited, and a 15- to 30-mile radius ring, in which you’re allowed to fly only if you follow certain rules, like keeping your drone below 400 feet and within your visual line of sight (VLOS).
These rules are in full force. In 2015, a man was arrested for flying a small drone within a block of the White House. Earlier that year, someone else crashed a drone on the front lawn of the White House by accident and faced a civil penalty of up to $1,000. To avoid stiff fines and penalties like these, you need to stay clear of flying anywhere even near the White House.
“Enjoy your visit to the nation’s capital. Bring your family, your cameras and plenty of sunscreen. Just don’t bring your drone.”
- The Federal Aviation Administration
2. The National Parks
Since 2014, flying drones has also been illegal in National Parks. The only exception to this rule is if you have a special use permit (SUP) for research, a search and rescue mission, or a wildfire operation. Otherwise, you could pay up to $5,000 in fines and spend six months in jail for launching or landing your drone within a National Park.
Many pilots flout this rule by flying in and out of areas controlled by the National Park Service (NPS) without landing there. Some even do it without realizing it. But it’s smarter to stay on the safe side by always double checking your location and local airspace regulations before flying.
3. The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the US military headquarters. Like the White House, it falls within the DC National Capital Region, where drones are off limits. Even so, the Department of Defense (DOD) detected 95 drones flying near the Pentagon within a 2-month period in 2017.
We don’t know whether the violators were identified and punished, but given the FAA fined a drone company $200,000 that same year for flying in congested airspace in New York City, you shouldn’t take any chances. The Pentagon is highly protected airspace that you should avoid at all costs.
4. Area 51
When you hear Area 51, you probably think of aliens and top secret government experiments. But whether the conspiracies are true or not, Area 51 is a legitimate training area for the US Air Force. So not only is it official government land but its airspace is used for military planes. Drone flying here is highly illegal.
In the wake of the 2019 “Storm Area 51, They Can’t Stop All of Us” Facebook event, two men were arrested for driving a car carrying camera equipment and a drone within Area 51’s security perimeter. So even simply having a grounded drone can get you into deep trouble.
On top of that, Area 51 is equipped with anti-drone defense systems that can shoot down threatening flying objects. So you definitely don’t want to try any tricks here.
5. Fort Knox
Last on our list, we have Fort Knox—a large US Army base in Kentucky. Not only is the base a highly protected military installation but it has its own airport. Naturally, drones are now allowed. They encroach on military ground and interfere with flying aircraft.
Fort Knox even has its own set of unmanned aircraft systems flight rules, which outline narrow exceptions for official drone use near the base. Don’t try flying your drone here under any circumstances.
Where to Legally Fly your Drone
Now that we’ve outlined the top 5 illegal places to fly drones, let’s go over some common places to fly drones legally.
The FAA divides airspace into different classes. Class G airspace is uncontrolled, which means you can fly so long as you follow basic rules like staying under 400 feet and watching for other aircraft. If you want to fly in controlled airspace, you’ll need to request Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) before you launch.
In general, we recommend staying away from large crowds and finding large open spaces to fly over like parks or lakes (as long as they aren’t part of a national or state park). If you want more specific location recommendations, check our past blog articles on the best places to fly in Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Maryland, and more.
And if you ever need professional drone services, The Drone Life can help. Our licensed drone pilots have years of experience in construction, filmmaking, renewable energy, and more. Feel free to reach out anytime for a free consultation.
