Commercial drone operators in Pennsylvania must comply with FAA Part 107 certification and any state offenses under Act 78 of 2018, which preempts local commercial drone ordinances and centralizes regulation at state and federal levels.
FAA Part 107 requires a Remote Pilot Certificate, aircraft registration, Remote ID broadcast, and operational waivers for night, over-people, or beyond-visual-line-of-sight commercial flights. Pennsylvania's Act 78 of 2018 (18 Pa.C.S. Sections 3505-3506) preempts municipal commercial drone regulation and adds state criminal penalties for surveillance, contraband delivery, and interference with first responders. PennDOT and DCNR may restrict ground operations on state property, but airspace rules remain federal.
FAA penalties for Part 107 violations can exceed $30,000 per occurrence. State criminal violations include misdemeanors and second-degree felony exposure up to 10 years in prison.
Bethlehem, PA
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Lehigh County.
See how Bethlehem's commercial drones rules stack up against other locations.
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