Recreational drone flights in Clearwater follow FAA Part 107 hobby rules, but Pinellas County prohibits takeoff and landing on county parks and beaches without prior permission.
Florida Statute 330.41, the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act, preempts most local drone regulation, so Clearwater cannot ban drone flight outright. Recreational pilots must comply with the FAA's recreational rules, including flying below 400 feet, keeping the drone within visual line of sight, yielding to manned aircraft, completing the TRUST safety test, and registering any drone over 0.55 pounds. Pinellas County, which manages many beaches and parks within Clearwater, restricts drone takeoff and landing on county-owned land without advance permission, effectively limiting where hobbyists may launch. Florida law also prohibits drone-based surveillance of private property under F.S. 934.50 and bans interference with first responders. Operators should respect privacy and stay clear of the Tampa Class B and surrounding Class C airspace shelves around St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport.
Unauthorized takeoff in a county park can result in trespass citations, while FAA violations can carry federal civil penalties of up to several thousand dollars per incident.
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Side-by-side rule comparisons with other cities in Pinellas County.
See how other cities in Pinellas County handle recreational drones.
See how Clearwater's recreational drones rules stack up against other locations.
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