Portland, ME Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

Portland's Chapter 16 (Parks and Recreation) of the Code of Ordinances regulates conduct on parkland through general provisions on disorderly conduct, hazardous activities, and damage to park property. The City has not adopted a specific drone-launch ban for parks, but the Parks, Recreation and Facilities department reserves authority to require permits for organized activities and to restrict conduct that interferes with public enjoyment. Because Maine's 25 M.R.S. § 4501 does not preempt municipal regulation of where drones are launched and recovered (it addresses only law-enforcement surveillance practices), the City retains home-rule authority under 30-A M.R.S. § 3001 to restrict drone takeoff/landing from parks if it chooses. Practically, much of Portland's signature parkland — the Eastern Promenade, Western Promenade, Back Cove Trail, and Deering Oaks — sits under the Class C surface area of Portland International Jetport (KPWM), so any drone operation there requires LAANC authorization regardless of City rules. The National Park Service has a system-wide ban on launching/landing unmanned aircraft on NPS property under 36 CFR 1.5, but Portland's parks are city-owned, not federal. Casco Bay islands accessible from Portland (some of which are state or federal land) may have separate restrictions.