Drone Rules in Sioux Falls, SD (2026)
3 verified drone rules for Sioux Falls, South Dakota, sourced directly from the municipal code and official government pages.
Verified from official government sources
Recreational Drones
Sioux Falls has no standalone city-wide recreational drone ban. Hobby/recreational operation is governed primarily by the FAA Recreational Flyer rules and South Dakota Codified Laws (SDCL) Chapter 50-15, with airport-proximity restrictions around Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD). The Sioux Falls Police Department's UAS Program page directs recreational operators to comply with FAA Part 107 / Recreational Flyer requirements and to avoid the airport's controlled airspace.
Recreational drones in Sioux Falls
Some RestrictionsCommercial Drones
Commercial drone operators in Sioux Falls must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and comply with 14 CFR Part 107. South Dakota does not impose a separate commercial-drone license; SDCL Chapter 50-15 governs criminal restrictions (critical-infrastructure overflight, surveillance, contraband delivery). Sioux Falls has no separate commercial-drone permit, but operators must clear LAANC authorization for Sioux Falls Regional Airport's controlled airspace, which covers most of the city.
Commercial drone operation in Sioux Falls
Some RestrictionsPark Drone Restrictions
Sioux Falls does not have a city-wide ordinance banning drone use in city parks, in contrast to Aberdeen, SD (Aberdeen Ord. 20-03-01) which prohibits recreational drone flight over city-owned property. Drone operators in Sioux Falls parks must still comply with FAA airspace rules — most parks within the city sit inside the Sioux Falls Regional Airport Class D/C surface area, requiring LAANC authorization. Drone flight in South Dakota state parks (e.g., Good Earth State Park at Blood Run, just east of Sioux Falls) is governed by the SD Game, Fish and Parks (GFP) Drone Policy of December 17, 2018, which prohibits takeoff, landing, or operation from any state park, recreation area, or lakeside-use area without a special-use permit.
Drone use in Sioux Falls parks
Some RestrictionsLooking for Minnehaha County county-wide rules?
County ordinances apply to unincorporated areas and may supplement Sioux Falls city rules.
Drone Rules in Minnehaha County →