Bonita Springs, FL Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

Section 28-41(k) of the Bonita Springs Code, part of the parks article, sets the drone rules for city parks. For hobby or recreational use, unmanned remote control non-occupied planes and drones can be flown only at Community Park, unless there is a concessionaire agreement. Every other city park is closed to recreational drone flying under this text.

Three operating conditions apply even at Community Park. Use of unmanned aircraft can occur only when the fields are unoccupied, so a drone cannot share a field with a game or practice. Operation of any unmanned aircraft must keep it from being flown within 25 feet of people, power lines, buildings or light fixtures. And the concessionaire-agreement exception means a written arrangement with the city, not casual permission, is what opens any other location.

Two exceptions sit in the same subsection. A person who obtains a special event permit can use a drone to photograph their special event in the park during the course of the event. Delivery services and commercial drone use on any city lands need the consent of the parks and recreation director through a written concessionaire agreement; the commercial side is covered on its own page.

Section 28-41(a) is a separate provision on manned aircraft. It bars launching or landing a manned airplane, balloon, parachute, hang glider or other aerial device, excluding kites, within or upon any park, preserve or littoral waters, with a fine line of $150, $300 and $500. Kites are excluded from that rule, but drones are governed by subsection (k), not by the kite exception.