Downey, CA Drone Rules: Event Drone Restrictions (2026)

3(g) of Chapter 16, adopted by Ordinance 22-1489 on September 13, 2022, forbids any UA or UAS from taking off, landing or operating within 200 feet of a school facility during school hours or school events unless the operator has first notified school officials and obtained their written authorization. That sits alongside the chapter's broader 500-foot buffer from active emergency vehicles and incidents and its 100-foot buffer from public buildings, both of which can also apply at large gatherings. 4 then exempts two categories from the entire chapter: public UAS operated by government agencies, and any civil UAS authorized under a film permit or special event permit issued by the City, provided the operator stays within the conditions of that permit. 3, including its 25-foot buffer from bystanders and its ban on recording people without consent where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.