Commercial drone operators in unincorporated San Diego County must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. County property requires permits. Operators must carry insurance and indemnify the County. LAANC authorization required near airports.
Commercial drone operations require an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Operators must comply with all Part 107 rules: fly below 400 feet, daylight/civil twilight only (without waiver), yield to manned aircraft, and not fly over people without appropriate category compliance. Operations on County property require permits from the relevant department. Operators must carry liability insurance and agree to indemnify the County. LAANC authorization is needed for flights in controlled airspace near airports. Waivers may be obtained from the FAA for operations outside standard Part 107 limitations. Real estate photography, construction monitoring, and agricultural surveys are common commercial uses in the unincorporated area.
Operating commercially without Part 107 certification may result in FAA enforcement action including civil penalties up to $27,500 per violation.
San Diego County, CA
San Diego County Code Chapter 6 (Animal Control) and the noise ordinance address barking dogs. Persistently barking dogs that disturb neighbors violate Secti...
San Diego County, CA
San Diego County Code of Regulatory Ordinances Section 36.404 sets noise limits by property zone and time of day. Residential zones: 50 dBA daytime (7 AM–10 ...
San Diego County, CA
Vehicles on public streets in unincorporated San Diego County cannot be parked for more than 72 consecutive hours. A vehicle must be moved at least 0.5 miles...
San Diego County, CA
Unincorporated San Diego County does not have a blanket overnight parking ban. The 72-hour parking rule applies. Some specific communities or HOAs may impose...
San Diego County, CA
Unincorporated San Diego County enforces the 2022 California Residential Code Section R314 (adopted under County Code Title 9, Division 1) for smoke alarms. ...
San Diego County, CA
Tree trimming in unincorporated San Diego County is required for defensible space maintenance (branches pruned to 6 feet above ground), utility clearance, an...
Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in San Diego County.
See how other cities in San Diego County handle commercial drones.
See how Elfin Forest's commercial drones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.