Wyandotte County, KS Drone Rules: Commercial Drones (2026)
Key Facts
- Exempted operators
- Part 107 and § 44807 pilots
- Scope
- limited to FAA-authorized operations
- Not authorized
- violating TFRs or NOTAMs
- Also exempt
- city/law enforcement drone ops
- Adopted
- Ord. No. O-144-22, 2022
Summary
Sec. 22-129(c)(1) exempts FAA-licensed commercial drone pilots from Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas's local UAV restrictions entirely, letting Part 107 certificate holders and Section 44807-authorized operators fly under their federal authority throughout city airspace without a separate local permit.
(1)Commercial operations authorized by the FAA. Notwithstanding the provisions of section 22-129(b), nothing in this article shall be construed to prohibit, limit or otherwise restrict any person who is authorized to fly a UAV as a commercial pilot pursuant to 14 CFR Part 107 (drones under 55 pounds) or under the Special Authority for Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems at 49 USC § 44807 (drones over 55 pounds) by or other Federal Aviation Administration grant of authority for a specific flight operation(s), from conducting such operations(s) in accordance with authority granted by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Full Breakdown
Section 22-129(b) imposes six operating restrictions on recreational drone flights in city airspace, but subsection (c)(1) carves commercial flying out of that framework. § 44807 for drones over 55 pounds, or under any other FAA grant of authority for a specific flight operation, from conducting that operation under the FAA's authorization. Subsection (c)(2) clarifies the flip side: nothing in the article authorizes flying in violation of federal statutes, temporary flight restrictions, or NOTAMs issued by the FAA, so the exemption tracks the operator's actual federal authorization rather than granting blanket local immunity.
Subsection (c)(3) separately exempts law enforcement, fire department, and Unified Government employee drone use for emergency response. The exemption and the rest of Sec. 22-129 were adopted together by Ord. No. O-144-22, § 1, on October 13, 2022, and the section carries its own severability clause in subsection (d).
Violations & Fines
Because compliant commercial operators are exempted, no citation attaches to a Part 107 or Section 44807 flight conducted within the scope of its FAA authorization. An operator who exceeds that authorization, for example by violating a temporary flight restriction or flying outside the terms of the FAA grant, loses the exemption and is exposed to the class C misdemeanor penalty in subsection (e) for violating the recreational restrictions in subsection (b).
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a local permit to fly a commercial drone in Kansas City, Kansas?
Does the commercial exemption cover flights that break FAA rules?
Are drones over 55 pounds allowed for commercial work?
Can Unified Government departments fly drones without following Sec. 22-129?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Wyandotte County
Compare Wyandotte County to another location·View the Kansas drone rules overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.