Carver County, MN Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- § 91.06(G)
- Covers
- battery/fuel-powered model aircraft, drones
- No exception
- applies to commercial and recreational flights
- Requires
- Board/Director authorization or use permit
- Related section
- § 91.06(I), aviation/landing-field ban
- Penalty class
- misdemeanor under § 91.99
Summary
Carver County bans starting or flying any battery- or fuel-powered model aircraft in a county park without Board or Director authorization or a use permit; the text carves out no exception for commercial drone operators.
Engine-powered models and toys. It shall be unlawful for any person to start, fly, or use any fuel or battery powered model aircraft, model boat, rocket, or like powered toy or model.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-20: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ord. 111-2025, passed 7-25-25).
Full Breakdown
06(G) of the Carver County Code of Ordinances bans starting, flying, or using any fuel or battery powered model aircraft, model boat, rocket, or like powered toy or model inside a county park, with no carve-out in the text for commercial versus recreational use or for a licensed remote-pilot certificate. 04(B). 06(I), "Aviation," which separately bans using park property as a starting or landing field for aircraft, hot air balloons, parachutes, hang gliders, or other flying apparatus without a permit, reinforcing that any powered flight activity over or from county park land needs prior county sign-off.
06(G) reaches any battery-powered model aircraft regardless of the operator's purpose. This is a parks-specific rule: it governs conduct on county park property under Chapter 91, not commercial drone flights over private land or non-park unincorporated Carver County, which are instead governed by FAA airspace rules rather than county ordinance.
Violations & Fines
Flying a drone or other battery-powered model aircraft in a county park without Board or Director authorization or a use permit violates § 91.06(G) and is a misdemeanor under § 91.99, tied to Minn. Stat. § 398.34 and § 609.02(3). Deputies enforcing under § 91.10(A) may eject the operator, issue a citation, and seize the aircraft.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly a commercial drone over a Carver County park for real estate photos?
Does the county's drone rule only cover hobby aircraft?
What happens if I fly a drone in a county park without a permit?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Carver County
Compare Carver County to another location·View the Minnesota drone rules overview
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