Recreational drone use in Maricopa County is governed primarily by FAA regulations, not county ordinances. FAA requires recreational drone pilots to pass the TRUST (Recreational UAS Safety Test). Drones must be flown below 400 feet AGL, within visual line of sight, and not over people. Arizona state law (ARS 13-3729) prohibits using drones to conduct surveillance of private property. No specific county drone ordinance exists for unincorporated areas.
Maricopa County has no county-specific drone ordinance for unincorporated areas; recreational drone use is governed entirely by FAA regulations and Arizona state law. Pilots must pass the FAA TRUST exam, fly below 400 feet AGL, maintain visual line of sight, and avoid controlled airspace near Sky Harbor, Deer Valley, Falcon Field, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway, and Buckeye airports without LAANC authorization. Arizona law ARS 13-3729 makes it a Class 3 misdemeanor to use a drone to intentionally photograph or surveil a person on private property without consent. In Maricopa County regional parks, drone use may be restricted by posted park rules, and flying over wildfire scenes is a federal offense. The FAA B4UFLY app is recommended to check airspace restrictions before flying in the county.
Specific penalty amounts for this ordinance are not published in a publicly accessible fine schedule. Contact Maricopa County code enforcement directly for current fines, enforcement procedures, and hearing options.
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