Oyster Bay, NY Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit required at
- Any Town facility, § 231-2A
- General liability minimum
- $1,000,000, § 231-7A
- Bodily injury minimum
- $500,000 / $1,000,000
- Property damage minimum
- $500,000
- AMA membership
- Does not cover commercial flights
- Federal rule referenced
- 14 CFR Part 107, § 231-12A
- First offense fine
- $500 plus permit cost
Summary
Commercial drone operators need a Town of Oyster Bay permit before launching from any park, beach, or Town facility, plus proof of liability insurance meeting the Town's dollar minimums; AMA membership only substitutes for insurance on noncommercial flights, so commercial permittees must carry an actual policy.
As part of the application for a permit to operate a UAS under the terms of this chapter, the applicant must provide proof of liability insurance, naming the Town of Oyster Bay as a named insured, in the following minimum limits: (1) General liability: $1,000,000. (2) Bodily injury: $500,000 individual. (3) Bodily injury: $1,000,000 single accident. (4) Property damage: $500,000. ... For purposes of this section, proof of membership in the Academy of Model Aeronautics ("AMA") shall be deemed to be satisfactory proof of insurance for noncommercial UAS operations.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4036544; v24 updated 2023-03-07; through 03-07-2023).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 231, adopted in 2017, requires anyone, including commercial and business operators, to hold a Town Clerk-issued permit before launching or landing a UAS at any Town facility, defined in § 231-3 to include parks, beaches, cemeteries, and Town buildings. Section 231-1B recognizes that the FAA already licenses commercial drone operators and that no person shall operate a UAS for commercial purposes without the express permission of the FAA, treating the Town permit as an added layer, not a substitute. Commercial applicants must supply, under § 231-6C(1)(e), the UAS's FAA registration number, and under § 231-12A must comply with 14 CFR Part 107 in the case of commercial UAS operation as a condition of the permit.
Section 231-7A sets minimum liability insurance for any permittee: $1,000,000 general liability, $500,000 individual and $1,000,000 single-accident bodily injury coverage, and $500,000 property damage, naming the Town as a named insured. Critically, § 231-7B lets proof of AMA membership substitute for that insurance only for noncommercial UAS operations, so a business flying a drone for pay must carry the actual policy rather than rely on a hobbyist club membership. , under § 231-6B.
Violations & Fines
Section 231-5 fines a first offense $500 plus the cost of the permit, a second offense within one year $1,000 plus the permit cost, and a third within 18 months $1,500 plus the permit cost. Department of Public Safety employees and police officers enforce the chapter under § 231-4 and can issue appearance tickets returnable to the District Court of Nassau County.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a Town permit to fly a commercial drone in an Oyster Bay park?
Can I use my AMA membership instead of buying insurance for a commercial drone job?
What federal rules does Oyster Bay require commercial drone permittees to follow?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Oyster Bay
New York rules heatmap·Compare Oyster Bay to another location·View the New York drone rules overview
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