Muskegon County, MI Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)

Section 18 of the Muskegon County Parks Ordinance, adopted by the Board of Commissioners on June 14, 2022, covers 'Organized Activities, Sports, Games and Hobbies' on County Park Property. Subsection (1)(c) states that no person on County Park Property shall use or operate any remote-controlled airplane, helicopter, drone, car, boat, or similar device unless prior written permission is obtained from the County or its Designee. Under the ordinance's definitions in Section 3, 'written permission' means a park permit, or a written note, email, or letter signed by the Director or a designee, and it is to be issued only in special circumstances or for the benefit of the County or the parks generally, meaning a would-be drone operator cannot simply show up and fly without first securing that written authorization.

The same Section 18 separately restricts hot air balloons, parachutes, and hang gliders under subsection (d), and organized events under subsection (a), reflecting the county's general approach of gating aerial and organized park uses behind a written permit rather than banning them outright. Enforcement rests with Muskegon County Parks and Recreation staff and Muskegon County Sheriff's Office deputies per Section 1, and violations are municipal civil infractions and misdemeanors under Section 20.