Recreational drone use in Corpus Christi must comply with FAA regulations. Drones must be registered with the FAA if weighing 0.55 to 55 pounds. Pilots must pass the TRUST exam. Operations near Corpus Christi International Airport and Naval Air Station Corpus Christi require LAANC authorization. Texas law (Government Code §423) prohibits using drones for surveillance over private property without consent.
Recreational drone use in Corpus Christi is primarily regulated by FAA rules. All drones weighing over 0.55 lbs must be registered with the FAA. Recreational operators must follow the TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) certification requirement. Key rules include: maximum altitude of 400 feet AGL, visual line of sight at all times, no flying over people or moving vehicles, no operations near airports without LAANC authorization, and yielding to manned aircraft. Corpus Christi may impose additional local restrictions in city parks, public events, and near critical infrastructure. Night flying requires anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles. Photography and videography from drones must respect privacy — surveillance of individuals on private property may violate Texas state privacy laws.
FAA violations: $1,100–$27,500 civil penalties. Local park violations: $100–$500 fine. Privacy violations: civil lawsuit potential under state law. Unregistered drones: $27,500 civil, $250,000 criminal.
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