Miami-Dade County, FL Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing rule
- § 26-1, Rule 15
- Restriction
- Drones confined to designated zones only
- Grouped with
- Model rocketry, archery, other propelled objects
- Scope
- All County-operated parks, city and UMSA
- Maximum penalty
- $500 fine or 60 days jail
- Enforced by
- Miami-Dade Police Department, § 26-2
Summary
Miami-Dade County confines radio-controlled and model aircraft, including hobby drones, to areas specifically set aside for that use inside every County park. Rule 15 of Section 26-1 groups drones with other "thrown or otherwise propelled objects" like javelins and rockets, and bars flying one anywhere in a park outside a designated zone.
Rule 15. Games, etc. No person or persons shall engage in rough or potentially dangerous games or practice for same, such as football, baseball, softball, horseshoes, golf, lacrosse, soccer, cricket, rugby, tennis, volleyball, badminton or any other games, practice or exercise involving thrown or otherwise propelled objects such as balls, stones, arrows, javelins, shuttlecocks, radio controlled or model aircraft or engage in rocketeering except in the areas specifically designated and set aside for such recreational usages.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 135).
Full Breakdown
" That puts hobby drones in the same restricted-zone framework as archery and model rocketry rather than banning them outright: a drone pilot may fly only where the Parks, Recreation and Open Spaces Department has marked out space for it, not on a playground, picnic lawn, or swimming beach. Rule 14 sets the broader principle Rule 15 builds on, that recreational activities are confined to the areas set aside for them, giving the Department Director latitude to designate or withhold drone zones park by park.
Because Rule 1 defines "Parks" as every property the Department controls, including greenways, natural areas and beaches, the zoning restriction reaches County-run parks throughout Miami-Dade, inside municipalities like Key Biscayne's Crandon Park as well as unincorporated UMSA sites, not a UMSA-only rule. Enforcement runs through Section 26-2, which charges the Miami-Dade Police Department, working with Department employees, to enforce all park rules on every property the Department manages, and Section 26-4 sets the penalty since Rule 15 carries no separate civil-penalty schedule entry of its own.
Violations & Fines
Because Rule 15 has no dedicated dollar amount in the Chapter 8CC civil penalty schedule, a violation falls under Section 26-4's general park penalty: a fine of up to $500, up to 60 days in the county jail, or both, at the discretion of the court, with fines alternatively assessed under the Chapter 8CC schedule or resolved through the county's diversion program.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly my drone anywhere in a Miami-Dade County park?
Does the park drone-zone rule apply only in unincorporated areas?
What happens if I fly a drone outside a designated park zone?
Are all County parks required to have a drone-flying zone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Miami-Dade County
Florida rules heatmap·Compare Miami-Dade County to another location·View the Florida drone rules overview
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