Safety Harbor, FL Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)

(4) PROTECTION OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE FACILITIES. — (a) A person may not knowingly or willfully: 1. Operate a drone over a critical infrastructure facility; 2. Allow a drone to make contact with a critical infrastructure facility, including any person or object on the premises of or within the facility; or 3. Allow a drone to come within a distance of a critical infrastructure facility that is close enough to interfere with the operations of or cause a disturbance to the facility. (b) A person who violates paragraph (a) commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 . A person who commits a second or subsequent violation commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 . (c) This subsection does not apply to actions identified in paragraph (a) which are committed by: 1. A federal, state, or other governmental entity, or a person under contract or otherwise acting under the direction of a federal, state, or other governmental entity. 2. A law enforcement agency that is in compliance with s. 934.50 , or a person under contract with or otherwise acting under the direction of such law enforcement agency. 3. An owner, operator, or occupant of the critical infrastructure facility, or a person who has prior written consent of such owner, operator, or occupant. (d) This subsection and paragraph (2)(a) shall sunset 60 days after the date that a process pursuant to s. 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety and Security Act of 2016 becomes effective. (5) PROTECTION OF SCHOOLS. — (a) A person may not knowingly or willfully: 1. Operate a drone over a public or private school serving students in any grade from voluntary prekindergarten through grade 12; or 2. Allow a drone to make contact with a school, including any person or object on the premises of or within the school facility. (b) A person who violates paragraph (a) commits a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 . A person who commits a second or subsequent violation commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 . (c) A person who violates paragraph (a) and records video of the school, including any person or object on the premises of or within the school facility, commits a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083 . A person who commits a second or subsequent violation commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 , s. 775.083 , or s. 775.084 . (d) This subsection does not apply to actions identified in paragraph (a) which are committed by: 1. A person acting under the prior written consent of the school principal, district school board, superintendent, or school governing board. 2. A law enforcement agency that is in compliance with s. 934.50 or a person under contract with or otherwise acting under the direction of such law enforcement agency.