Drone Rules in Pitt County, NC (2026)
3 rules for unincorporated Pitt County, North Carolina.
Verified from official government sources
Recreational Drones
Flying a recreational drone in Pitt County means keeping it off private land without the owner's consent, away from weapons, and outside set buffers: 500 feet from active emergency vehicles or incidents, 100 feet from a school without staff sign-off, and 500 feet from the county detention center. The UAS Ordinance is enforced under N.C.G.S. § 14-4 and applies countywide plus any city that adopts it.
Pitt County Recreational Drone Flight Rules
Some RestrictionsPitt County UAS Ordinance (Ordinance No. 7) § 5(A)-(F)
Section5: Regulation of UAS Takeoff and Landing A. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS on private property without the consent of the property owner. B. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS that has any type of weapon attached to it. C. No person shall takeoff or land a UAS within five hundred (500) feet of any emergency vehicle that is operating with lights and/or sirens. D. No person shall...
Commercial Drones
A commercial drone operator flying under FAA Part 107, or under an FAA Certificate of Authorization, is exempt from Pitt County's local UAS takeoff-and-landing restrictions entirely. Farm drones on bona fide agricultural land and public-agency drones get the same carve-out, leaving only non-Part-107 commercial flyers subject to the county's site buffers.
Pitt County Commercial Drone Exemption
Light RestrictionsPitt County UAS Ordinance (Ordinance No. 7) § 6(A)-(D)
Section6: Exemption A. This Ordinance shall not apply to any Public UAS. B. This Ordinance shall not apply to any UAS weighing less than 0.55 lbs. C. This Ordinance shall not apply to any UAS used for agricultural purposes on property used for bona fide farm purposes as defined in North Carolina General Statute 153A-340. D. This Ordinance shall not apply to any UAS operated by a person in compl...
Park Drone Restrictions
Flying a drone or any other unmanned aircraft system in a Pitt County park is unlawful unless the operator holds a proper permit and has the County Manager's personal consent. Section 2(A)(7) of the Parks & Facilities Ordinance applies to Alice F. Keene District Park, the Office Park Recreation Complex, and Lake Glenwood Park, and staff can eject anyone flying a drone without that dual authorization.
Pitt County Requires a Permit to Fly Drones in Parks
Significant RestrictionsPitt County Cultural Arts & Recreation Parks & Facilities Ordinance § 2(A)(7)
It will be unlawful for any person visiting property managed by Cultural Arts & Recreation to: ... 7. Operate drones and other unmanned aircraft systems without the authorization of a proper permit and the consent of the County Manager.
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