Drone Rules in Cook County, IL (2026)
3 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 5 cities in Cook County, Illinois.
Verified from official government sources
Recreational Drones
Cook County bars flying any unmanned aerial system on land, buildings or facilities the County owns or leases unless the agency that runs the site authorizes it first. Violators face a $2,500 fine per offense and on-the-spot confiscation of the drone, though the ordinance preserves an exception for police use under Illinois' Freedom from Drone Surveillance Act.
Cook County Drone Rules On County Property
Significant RestrictionsCook County Code § 58-48
Unmanned Aerial System or UAS shall mean an unmanned aerial vehicle or drone that is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within the aircraft. Property shall mean any land, building or facility owned or leased by Cook County... No person shall, at any time, fly any form of UAS on County property unless expressly authorized by the Agency that is the custodian of sai...
Park Drone Restrictions
Cook County bars flying any drone or UAS on land, buildings, or facilities the County owns or leases, including County parks, unless the managing agency expressly authorizes it, backed by a $2,500-per-offense fine.
Cook County Drone Ban On County Property
Significant RestrictionsCook County Code § 58-48
No person shall, at any time, fly any form of UAS on County property unless expressly authorized by the Agency that is the custodian of said property. Any person violating the provisions of this Section shall be subject to a fine of $2,500.00 for each offense and shall be adjudicated pursuant to Chapter 2, Administration, Article IX, Administrative Hearings, of this Code.
Airport Proximity Rules
Drone flight in controlled airspace surrounding Chicago O'Hare (KORD) and Midway (KMDW) requires FAA Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability (LAANC) clearance through the B4UFLY or DroneZone app. Cook County and municipalities cannot authorize flights the FAA prohibits.
FAA LAANC Authorization Required Near O'Hare And Midway
Heavy RestrictionsFAA UAS Data Exchange (LAANC) Program
What is LAANC? LAANC is the Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability, a collaboration between FAA and Industry. It directly supports UAS integration into the airspace. LAANC provides: Drone pilots with access to controlled airspace at or below 400 feet. Awareness of where pilots can and cannot fly. Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) information and updates to the Special Use Airs...
Drone Rules by City in Cook County
5 cities in Cook County have their own drone rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
5 verified rules • Airport Proximity Rules, Commercial Drones
1 verified rule • Park Drone Restrictions
1 verified rule • Commercial Drones
2 verified rules • Commercial Drones, Park Drone Restrictions
1 verified rule • Recreational Drones
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