Anderson County, SC Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

Section 34-24(15) lists prohibited uses within any park or facility under county jurisdiction, and drones are named specifically alongside other aviation: "unmanned flying aircraft (drones, unmanned aircraft systems, remote controlled model aircraft, and the like)" join airplanes, ultralight aircraft, balloons and parachutes as things generally barred from taking off, landing, or operating on or within county parks and recreation areas. The county built in a narrow escape valve rather than an absolute ban: in some limited circumstances certain of these machines may be flown within designated areas of a park after the operator obtains a special activity permit.

Outside that permitted arrangement, flying a drone anywhere in a county park is treated the same as bringing in an airplane or ultralight, a blanket prohibition rather than a registration or time-of-day limit. This sits inside the same section that separately bars firearms, off-trail motor vehicles, and disorderly conduct in parks, so a drone violation is enforced the same way as those other park offenses. The rule reaches every park and recreation area under Anderson County's jurisdiction and does not distinguish between Lake Hartwell-adjacent parks and inland ones.