Johnson County, KS Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- App. C § 2.1.11
- Minimum age
- 16 years old
- Permit required
- Valid JCPRD permit naming location
- Where allowed
- Designated areas of JCPRD Facilities only
- Adopted
- Res. No. 060-23, July 20, 2023
Summary
JCPRD confines drones, model rockets and remote-control vehicles to designated areas of its parks and requires operators to be at least 16 years old and hold a valid JCPRD permit naming the approved flight location, under the district's Code of Regulations.
Model rockets, drones, remote control planes, boats, cars, or other like devices shall be operated only in designated areas of JCPRD Facilities and in compliance with any posted site-specific rules or regulations. Persons operating model rockets, remote control planes, drones, remote control boats, or remote-control cars must be at least 16 years of age and hold a valid JCPRD permit designating the location where the activity is permitted.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Resolutions: Supplement 14).
Full Breakdown
11 of the Johnson County Code of Regulations for the Park and Recreation District, Appendix C to the Code of Resolutions, adopted by Resolution No. 060-23 on July 20, 2023, reads: model rockets, drones, remote control planes, boats, cars, or other like devices shall be operated only in designated areas of JCPRD Facilities and in compliance with any posted site-specific rules or regulations; persons operating them must be at least 16 years of age and hold a valid JCPRD permit designating the location where the activity is permitted.
5, which does allow supervised children, and a location-specific JCPRD permit that names the exact site where flying is authorized. Flying outside a posted, designated area, or without holding the permit for that specific location, is not authorized even if the operator is over 16. JCPRD sets the designated areas facility by facility and posts them on site; the district's larger parks, including Shawnee Mission Park and Kill Creek Park, are the ones most likely to have a marked flying area. The rule sits in Article 1 (Public Safety) of Chapter 2, alongside firearms, archery and hot-air-balloon rules, reflecting that JCPRD treats unmanned aircraft as a safety hazard to other park users rather than a routine recreational activity.
Violations & Fines
Flying a drone or model rocket outside a designated area, without a JCPRD permit, or under age 16 is a violation of Section 2.1.11 enforceable by JCPRD Rangers, who can order the device grounded and cite the operator; the district's general Park Code enforcement and penalty provisions then apply.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly a drone anywhere in a Johnson County park?
How old do I have to be to fly a drone at a JCPRD park?
Do I need a permit even if I'm just flying a small hobby drone?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Johnson County
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