Minnesota Statutes Chapter 360 classifies unmanned aircraft as aircraft subject to FAA regulation and state aeronautics rules. The Department of Transportation Office of Aeronautics governs registration and operation, preempting most local airspace ordinances.
Under Minn. Stat. Ch. 360, all aircraft including unmanned aircraft systems are subject to state aeronautics jurisdiction. Recreational drone operators must follow FAA Part 107 or the recreational exception under 49 U.S.C. 44809, including TRUST testing and registration of drones over 250 grams. State law treats drones as aircraft, meaning local governments cannot regulate flight altitude or airspace, though they retain authority over takeoff and landing on public property and trespass and privacy under tort law. Minn. Stat. 626.19 separately regulates law-enforcement drone use and warrant requirements.
Operating in restricted airspace, without registration, or recklessly may result in FAA civil penalties up to $32,666 per violation, state misdemeanor charges, and civil liability.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Hennepin County, MN
Hennepin County is fully incorporated - all 45 cities including Minneapolis enforce their own noise ordinances and the county does not have its own countywid...
Hennepin County, MN
Aircraft noise around Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport is governed by federal FAA rules and the Metropolitan Airports Commission, with mitigation p...
Hennepin County, MN
Hennepin County has no countywide fence-height ordinance because all land is within an incorporated city; each of the 45 cities sets its own fence rules. In ...
Hennepin County, MN
Hennepin County has no county shed ordinance; the county is fully incorporated, so shed rules come from each city. The 2020 Minnesota Residential Code (MN Ru...
Hennepin County, MN
Hennepin County has no county-level carport ordinance because all parcels lie within incorporated cities. Each city regulates carports under its zoning code....
Hennepin County, MN
Hennepin County has no county-level zoning over garage conversions. Since 2012 every parcel sits inside an incorporated city, so each city's zoning code gove...
See how Hennepin County's recreational drones rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.