Commercial drone operators in Davidson County must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Nashville BNA Class C airspace covers most of the urban area requiring LAANC authorization for all commercial flights. Metro Parks commercial drone permits required for filming in parks. Nashville film permit required for commercial production with drone footage on public property.
Commercial drone operations in Davidson County require an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate under 14 CFR Part 107, obtained by passing the Aeronautical Knowledge Test ($175) and recurrent training every 24 months. Commercial use encompasses real estate photography (Nashville's hot housing market drives heavy demand), construction inspection, surveying, utility inspection (NES, Piedmont Natural Gas), infrastructure monitoring (TDOT), news gathering, and delivery. Nashville International Airport (BNA) Class C airspace and John C. Tune Airport (JWN) Class D airspace cover a substantial portion of Davidson County, making LAANC authorization mandatory for most commercial flights. Night operations, operations over people, and beyond-visual-line-of-sight require FAA waivers under Part 107.39, 107.41, and 107.31. Metro Parks requires a separate commercial drone permit for any filming or photography in Metro parks (Centennial, Percy Warner, Edwin Warner, Shelby, Radnor Lake area)—contact Metro Parks and Recreation. Nashville Film Office requires a film permit for commercial production involving public property, streets, or sidewalks. Nissan Stadium (Titans), Bridgestone Arena (Predators), Geodis Park (Nashville SC), and the Ryman Auditorium frequently have FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions during events. TN state law TCA §39-13-903 applies to commercial operators capturing images of private property (requires consent). TCA §39-14-405 prohibits use of drones over correctional facilities (Davidson County Sheriff facilities, Riverbend Maximum Security on Cockrill Bend Boulevard). Commercial operators must also register their drone with the FAA ($5) and display registration externally. Liability insurance typically $1-2M required by most commercial clients.
Operating commercially without Part 107 Certificate: FAA civil penalty up to $32,666 per violation. Unauthorized Class C airspace entry: federal criminal charges plus civil penalties. TN privacy violation under TCA §39-13-903: Class C misdemeanor. Metro Parks violation: $50-$500. Flying near correctional facilities (TCA §39-14-405): Class A misdemeanor.
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