Apex, NC Drone Rules: Recreational Drones (2026)

Apex does not have a city-wide drone ordinance (it cannot under federal preemption of airspace). Drone operations in Apex are layered: (1) Federal — the FAA controls U.S. airspace. Commercial operators need a 14 CFR Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Recreational flyers operate under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations at 49 U.S.C. § 44809: visual line of sight, at or below 400 ft AGL, away from other aircraft, drone registration with the FAA if it weighs more than 0.55 lbs, Remote ID broadcast, and a passing score on the TRUST safety test. Apex sits roughly 14 miles west of Raleigh-Durham International (RDU) and is near several small airports; LAANC authorization is required to fly inside controlled airspace shelves. The FAA B4UFLY app shows the current airspace status for any Apex address. (2) State — Article 16B of NC General Statutes governs drones. NCGS 15A-300.1 makes it unlawful to use a UAS to (a) conduct surveillance of a person or a dwelling and its curtilage without consent, (b) photograph private real property without the owner/lessee/easement-holder's consent, or (c) photograph an individual without consent for publishing — with civil damages of $5,000 per photograph or video published in violation. NCGS 15A-300.3 prohibits UAS operation within 500 horizontal feet or 250 vertical feet of confinement / correctional facilities, prisons, jails, or detention centers, and within similar buffers of certain public-power facilities, except by authorized personnel. NCGS 14-401.24 makes possessing or using a UAS with a weapon attached a Class E felony, and NCGS 14-401.24A prohibits using a UAS to harass or interfere with a hunter, trapper, or angler. North Carolina also requires anyone flying a UAS for commercial purposes in NC to obtain an NCDOT-issued UAS Commercial Operator Permit and to pass the NC UAS Knowledge Test (administered by NCDOT). (3) Local — Apex parks rules and the Town's authority over Town-owned property can restrict take-off and landing in parks (the Town's Parks & Recreation Department can be contacted at 919-249-3402 before launching from a Town park). Reckless or trespassing flights in Apex may trigger state criminal charges plus FAA enforcement.