Drone Rules in Houston, TX (2026)
2 verified drone rules for Houston, Texas, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Recreational Drones
Houston permits recreational drones subject to FAA rules and limited park bans. Pilots must register drones over 0.55 lbs with the FAA ($5/3 years), complete the TRUST test, fly below 400 feet AGL, and keep line of sight. Houston Parks & Recreation prohibits drones in most city parks without a permit, and Memorial Park has strict no-fly zones.
Houston Recreational Drone Rules
Few RestrictionsTex. Government Code § 423.002
Sec. 423.002. NONAPPLICABILITY. (a) It is lawful to capture an image using an unmanned aircraft in this state:(1) for the purpose of professional or scholarly research and development or for another academic purpose by a person acting on behalf of an institution of higher education or a private or independent institution of higher education, as those terms are defined by Section 61.
Event Drone Restrictions
Houston does not ban drones at public gatherings outright, but any large outdoor music event must get a Mayor's Office of Special Events permit, and Section 25-163(c)(16) requires the organizer's application to list every unmanned aircraft system the event will use and the purpose of each one before the city will approve it.
Houston Outdoor Music Event Drone Disclosure Rule
Some RestrictionsHouston Code of Ordinances § 25-163(a), (c)(16)
(a)An outdoor music event organizer shall file a permit application with MOSE no later than the 30 th day before the date the outdoor music event organizer plans to hold an outdoor music event, on a form supplied by the MOSE director and signed by the organizer. ... (c)The application must include: ... (16)A list of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) to be used, if any, and the purposes for which ...
Looking for Harris County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Houston city rules.
Drone Rules in Harris County →