Waukegan, IL Drone Rules: Park Drone Restrictions (2026)
Key Facts
- Protected locations
- Public or private parks, plus schools, hospitals
- Consent required
- Park property owner's consent needed
- Altitude cap
- 400 feet above ground level
- Fine range
- $250.00 to $750.00 per offense
- Rulemaking authority
- Police chief may set added rules
- Governing section
- City Code § 15-141(b)(10)
Summary
Waukegan requires the property owner's consent before flying a drone over any public or private park under City Code Sec. 15-141(b)(10). The same subsection extends the consent rule to schools, school yards, hospitals, places of worship, prisons, and police stations, so a drone hobbyist can't legally launch over a city park without the park owner's permission.
(b)Operation regulations. No person shall operate any small unmanned aircraft in city airspace: ... (10)Over any open air assembly unit, school, school yard, public or private park, hospital, place of worship, prison or police station, without the property owner's consent, and subject to any restrictions or regulations the property owner may place on such operation;
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 113).
Full Breakdown
Subsection (b) opens by declaring that no person shall operate a small unmanned aircraft in city airspace in any of the ways the paragraph lists, and item (10) names 'public or private park' among the protected locations, alongside schools, school yards, hospitals, places of worship, prisons, and police stations. The consent requirement is not absolute: the property owner who controls the park can grant permission and attach conditions to it, such as limiting flight to certain hours or areas. Even with consent to fly over a park, an operator still has to comply with the rest of subsection (b): staying under the 400-foot altitude ceiling, keeping the aircraft within unaided visual line of sight, flying only for hobby or recreational purposes, avoiding operation between dusk and dawn, and never conducting surveillance.
The 'public or private park' language is not limited to parks the city itself owns. Violations carry the same fine and seizure consequences as the rest of Sec. 15-141, and the police chief may adopt further rules for drone use on or above public property, filed with the city clerk and posted publicly.
Violations & Fines
Operating a drone over a public or private park without the owner's consent violates Sec. 15-141(b)(10) and is fined not less than $250.00 nor more than $750.00 per offense under subsection (d), with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense. A second violation, or one causing injury or property damage, exposes the drone itself to seizure by the mayor, police chief, or an officer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly my drone over a Waukegan city park?
Does the park drone rule apply to Waukegan Park District property too?
What other drone rules apply even if I get permission to fly over a park?
What happens if my drone is seized over a park violation?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waukegan
Compare Waukegan to another location·View the Illinois drone rules overview
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