Springfield, OH Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)

Under Codified Ordinances § 1105.03(v)(1), a Vertiport is "an area of land, structural surface, building, or structure with one or more designated drone staging areas for use by small unmanned aircraft systems (sUAS) under 55 pounds total take-off weight ... to distribute commercial goods by air," including any appurtenant buildings and equipment. Section 1107.05(k) sets the operating standards: the use must meet all local, county, state, and federal rules, including FAA design standards, and cannot be placed within required building setbacks, fire lanes, easements, maneuvering aisles, customer pick-up lanes, loading or parking spaces, or the front yard, and cannot obstruct pedestrian or vehicle circulation.

A ground-level Vertiport is capped at 20% of the total lot area, though that cap does not apply to a rooftop installation. Goods, materials, containers, trailers, or equipment staged at grade in the C-LC, C-HC, P-PR, P-IE, and P-DM districts must be screened per Chapter 1120.03, though landing pads themselves are exempt from screening. A rooftop Vertiport's mechanical equipment must also be screened, and any mast, parapet wall, or safety railing is subject to the district's maximum building height, except a single windsock mast up to 10 feet may exceed that limit.

No Vertiport may sit within 150 feet of a residential district, and parking is not required for the use. A zoning certificate for accessory uses is the operative permit mechanism, and the use is subject to inspection for compliance.