Recreational drone use in Naperville is regulated primarily through park district rules and FAA federal regulations. Illinois law (620 ILCS 5/44.1) preempts most local drone ordinances for cities under 1 million population. The Naperville Park District prohibits drone operation in all parks except designated areas at Brush Hill Park.
Illinois law (620 ILCS 5/44.1) prevents municipalities with populations under 1,000,000 from enacting drone-specific ordinances, so Naperville cannot impose its own citywide drone regulations beyond what state and federal law allow. Recreational drone operators must comply with FAA rules including registration for drones over 0.55 lbs, flying below 400 feet AGL, maintaining visual line of sight, and yielding to manned aircraft. The Naperville Park District (Ordinance 641) prohibits the operation of unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) on or over Park District property without a permit. The only designated area for recreational model aircraft flying is Brush Hill Park. The restriction does not apply to drones at altitudes greater than 150 feet above ground level over Park District property. Naperville is located within proximity to Chicago O'Hare and Midway airports, so drone operators must check FAA airspace authorization requirements through LAANC before flying.
Park District violation: subject to Naperville Park District fines. FAA violations for recreational operators: up to $27,500 in civil penalties. Illinois state law: Class A misdemeanor for operating drones over correctional facilities or in violation of privacy (720 ILCS 5/48-3).
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