Davidson County, TN Drone Rules: Recreational Drones (2026)

Recreational drone operation in Davidson County follows FAA regulations under 49 USC §44809 (Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft) as amended by the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018. Operators must register drones weighing over 0.55 lbs (250g) with the FAA ($5 for 3 years), complete The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), fly below 400 feet AGL, maintain visual line of sight, yield to manned aircraft, and avoid airports, stadiums, and emergency response areas. Nashville International Airport (BNA) Class C airspace covers a 5-nautical-mile radius from the ground up to 4,600 feet MSL, encompassing most of Davidson County east of I-65 and south of Briley Parkway, plus John C. Tune Airport (JWN) Class D airspace in West Nashville. Flying in controlled airspace requires LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) authorization through apps like Aloft or AirMap. Night flying requires anti-collision lights visible 3 statute miles. Metro Parks regulations under Metro Code §9.20.030 prohibit drone takeoff and landing in Metro parks (including Centennial, Percy Warner, Edwin Warner, Shelby Park, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, and Radnor Lake) without a permit from Metro Parks and Recreation. Nissan Stadium, Bridgestone Arena, Geodis Park, and Vanderbilt Stadium fall within FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) during events (3 nautical mile, 3,000 ft AGL radius). Grand Ole Opry and Music Row concerts may also trigger TFRs. TN state law TCA §39-13-903 makes capturing images of private property by drone without consent a Class C misdemeanor.