Carroll County, MD Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

060, added to Chapter 94 by Ord. 2016-01 in 2016 and updated by Ord. 2026-03 on 3-12-2026, covers remote control unmanned aircraft and model rockets together in one sentence: launching, landing, or operating either one in a county park requires approval by the Manager, who also sets the location and schedule of usage. That makes drone flying a discretionary, case-by-case approval rather than a rule with fixed hours or zones spelled out in the code itself; a resident has to contact the park's Manager before flying rather than relying on posted signage or a blanket allowance.

061, applies the same permission requirement to paragliders, ultralight aircraft, hang-gliders, and helium or hot air balloons, so Carroll County treats all unmanned or lighter-than-air flight in its parks under one discretionary-approval framework rather than a numeric buffer or no-fly-zone map. Because Chapter 94 only reaches county park property in the unincorporated area, this approval requirement does not extend to private land, state parks, or parks operated by an incorporated municipality like Westminster or Sykesville, each of which sets its own rules. Federal Aviation Administration airspace rules and Temporary Flight Restrictions still apply on top of the county's approval requirement for any drone flight.