Portland, ME Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)

14 CFR Part 107 (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems) is the federal regulatory baseline for any drone flight conducted for compensation, in furtherance of a business, or otherwise non-recreational. Subpart C requires the operator hold a Remote Pilot Certificate (passing the FAA Part 107 aeronautical knowledge test administered at an approved testing center, then TSA vetting). Subpart B sets operational rules: maximum altitude 400 ft AGL (or within 400 ft of a structure), daylight or civil-twilight operations (with anti-collision lighting), maintained visual line of sight, no flight over people without a waiver or Category 1-4 compliance under Subpart D, and one aircraft per remote pilot. Aircraft must be registered with the FAA under Part 48. Because Portland International Jetport (KPWM) operates a Class C airspace surface area covering nearly all of downtown Portland and much of the peninsula, any commercial flight in those areas requires LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) authorization or a written FAA waiver. Maine state law (25 M.R.S. § 4501) regulates only law-enforcement UAS use and does not impose additional commercial requirements. Portland's Code does not impose a separate commercial-drone business license; however, commercial photography of city-owned properties (parks, piers, harbor) typically requires permission from the relevant department under general property-use rules.