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.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Lancaster, PA
The City of Lancaster prohibits loud, disturbing, or unnecessary noise across the city, with stricter standards during nighttime quiet hours of 10:00 PM to 7...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster regulates on-street parking through Chapter 263 of the City Code and the Lancaster Parking Authority. Most downtown blocks are metered or permit-on...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster's Zoning Code caps residential fences at 4 feet in front yards and 6 feet in side and rear yards, with extra rules in the city's designated Heritag...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster requires dogs to be leashed and under control of their owner whenever off the owner's property. Chapter 97 of the City Code works in tandem with th...
Lancaster, PA
Pennsylvania Act 43 of 2017 (72 P.S. §9401) legalized consumer-grade (1.4G) fireworks statewide for adults 18+, but Lancaster's dense rowhouse fabric makes d...
Lancaster, PA
Lancaster requires property owners to keep grass and weeds under 10 inches in height on all residential and commercial lots. Chapter 235 (Property Maintenanc...
See how Lancaster'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 If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.