2 county-level rules, plus city-specific rules for 1 city in District of Columbia, District of Columbia.
Verified from official government sources
Washington DC sits inside the Federal Aviation Administration's National Capital Region Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA) and the 15-nautical-mile Flight Restricted Zone (FRZ) around Reagan National Airport. Recreational drone flight is effectively prohibited anywhere within 15 NM of DCA without specific FAA authorization, making DC one of the most restrictive places in the United States for hobby drones.
Commercial drone operations in DC require FAA Part 107 certification plus specific authorization to operate within the National Capital Region SFRA/FRZ. Most commercial flights within 15 NM of DCA require a Statement of Work approval from the TSA and a DCA tower or USSS coordination. Real estate, news, and film operators face some of the strictest permitting in the country.
14 CFR Part 107 — Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (Commercial Operators)
The Operations Over People rule became effective on April 21, 2021. Drone pilots operating under Part 107 may fly at night, over people and moving vehicles without a waiver as long as they meet the requirements defined in the rule. Airspace authorizations are still required for night operations in controlled airspace under 400 feet. If you have a small drone that is less than 55 pounds, you can...
1 cities in District of Columbia have their own drone rules rules. Each link goes to that city's dedicated page with code citations.
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