Virginia preempts most local drone regulation, reserving aircraft operation rules to the state and FAA, while criminalizing surveillance overflights and trespass-style use against private individuals.
Va. Code Section 15.2-926.3 preempts local government from regulating the ownership, operation, or use of unmanned aircraft systems, except for certain time-place-manner restrictions on take-off and landing on locality-owned property. The FAA retains exclusive airspace authority. Section 18.2-130.1 criminalizes use of a drone to peep into a dwelling, and Section 19.2-60.1 restricts law-enforcement drone surveillance. Operators must follow FAA Part 107 or recreational TRUST rules and register drones over 0.55 pounds.
Drone peeping is a Class 1 misdemeanor; violating local airspace ordinances is generally unenforceable due to state preemption.
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