Commercial drone use in Louisiana requires an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. La. R.S. 14:283.3 and 14:337 add statewide criminal penalties for surveillance over critical infrastructure or private property, regardless of any local ordinance.
Federal law preempts airspace operation, so commercial pilots flying for any business purpose must hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, register the aircraft with the FAA, follow Part 107 limits (400 feet AGL, daylight or anti-collision-lit night operations, visual line of sight), and obtain waivers for operations over people or beyond visual line of sight. Louisiana adds two state crimes: R.S. 14:337 prohibits surveillance of critical infrastructure such as petrochemical, electric, water, and pipeline facilities, and R.S. 14:283.3 prohibits drone capture of images on private property where there is a reasonable expectation of privacy. Local governments cannot impose airspace restrictions but may regulate ground-based takeoff/landing from public property.
Operating commercially without Part 107 certification, violating critical-infrastructure surveillance under R.S. 14:337, or breaching privacy under R.S. 14:283.3 can trigger FAA civil penalties and Louisiana criminal fines and imprisonment.
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