Manitou Springs, CO Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

040 requires a permit to use any land owned or controlled by the city to launch or land a pilotless aircraft, and city parks fall squarely within that category as city-controlled property. The city will issue the permit only on a showing that the drone use will not create a safety hazard, cause a nuisance, harass or annoy wildlife, or interfere with the use of city property by others, and, per the same section, permits are ultimately reserved for an educational activity or a permitted special event.

030's twelve operating prohibitions: no reckless flying, no weaponized drones, no surveillance without legal permission, and, notably for a park setting, no intentionally or knowingly harassing, annoying or disturbing wildlife. 020 defines "city airspace" broadly as all airspace above the city's territorial boundaries to the fullest extent the city can legally regulate, reinforcing that park airspace is covered even apart from the ground-use permit. 070 exempts on-duty law enforcement, emergency responders and authorized military personnel. 080 makes launching or landing in a park without the required permit a misdemeanor under Chapter 1, Section 16, with the drone subject to city impoundment.