Federal law (FAA Part 107 for commercial; 49 U.S.C. § 44809 for recreational) governs the airspace over Bowling Green — the City cannot regulate altitude or flight paths. Kentucky's state drone statute (codified at KRS 183.110 and the reckless-operation provisions from 2017 HB 540) bars reckless flight that creates a serious risk of injury or property damage. Locally, Warren County Parks designated Ephram White Park as an official drone launch site, working with the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport. The Bowling Green airport sits in Class D / E airspace and requires FAA LAANC authorization to fly nearby.
Drone operations in and around Bowling Green are governed by a layered federal-state-local framework. (1) Federal: The FAA controls U.S. airspace. Commercial operators must hold a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate (14 CFR Part 107). Recreational flyers operate under the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations (49 U.S.C. § 44809) — fly within visual line of sight, below 400 feet AGL, away from other aircraft, register any drone over 0.55 lbs, broadcast Remote ID, and pass the TRUST safety test. Bowling Green is served by Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport (BWG), which has Class D / E controlled airspace; flying within the BWG airspace requires LAANC authorization or a manual FAA waiver, and the airport's published guidance directs all UAS operators to comply with FAA safety requirements. (2) State: Kentucky has not preempted local drone rules but did adopt drone-specific provisions through 2017 HB 540, which makes reckless UAS operation a Class A misdemeanor (or Class D felony if it disrupts aircraft safety). Operators following FAA Part 107 are exempt from those reckless-operation provisions. Kentucky law also addresses landowner rights and recording around critical infrastructure. (3) Local: Bowling Green does not impose a city-wide drone ordinance regulating airspace (it cannot — federal preemption). Cities may regulate take-off and landing on city-owned property. Warren County, working with the Bowling Green-Warren County Regional Airport staff, has designated Ephram White Park (a 150-yard by 250-yard site at the former remote-control race-car track) as an official drone launch site to give pilots a sanctioned location. Other Bowling Green city parks may impose take-off / landing restrictions through park rules (Chapter 16 of the City Code, Parks and Recreation) — confirm with the city's Parks Department before launching from a park. (4) Private property: Operators should have the landowner's permission to launch or recover from private property. (5) Reckless or property-damaging flight in Bowling Green can trigger state criminal charges under HB 540 plus FAA enforcement.
FAA enforces airspace rules (civil penalties for Part 107 / § 44809 violations). Kentucky HB 540 (2017): reckless UAS operation is a Class A misdemeanor; Class D felony if it disrupts aircraft. Local park-launch violations cited under Chapter 16 / general City Code with fines up to $100/day per offense.
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