Daly City, CA Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

Daly City operates parks including Lincoln Park, Marchbank Park, Hillside Park, Westlake Park, and Gellert Park under Municipal Code Title 8. The Daly City Parks and Recreation Department's park-use rules (posted at park entrances and in city park-rental documents) prohibit activities that endanger park users or interfere with permitted uses; the department has discretion under Daly City Code to prohibit drone takeoff and landing on a case-by-case basis. Critically, several recreational areas Daly City residents use are NOT operated by the city: Fort Funston (immediately north, in San Francisco but the typical 'Daly City beach drone spot') is administered by the National Park Service under GGNRA, where NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 (June 19, 2014) closes all NPS-administered lands to launching, landing, or operating UAS - a violation is a federal misdemeanor under 36 CFR Section 1.5 punishable by up to 6 months and a $5,000 fine. Thornton State Beach (technically in Daly City, jointly administered with State Parks) and Mussel Rock Park (operated by the County of San Mateo / Pacifica) carry their own UAS rules - 14 CCR Section 4322 requires a permit for any aircraft operation in a California State Park. FAA airspace rules (Part 107, SFO Class B veil) apply on top of any park-specific rule.