Pismo Beach, CA Drone Rules: Recreational Drones (2026)

Section 12.20.010 designates the whole of the publicly owned beach and ocean area within the city limits as a safety zone and play area. Section 12.20.080 then bars any person from landing or operating any aircraft in that area and names small unmanned aircraft systems such as drones specifically, so a drone launched or flown over the sand falls under the ban along with any other aircraft. The history note shows the drone language was added by Ordinance O-2021-003 in 2021. Section 12.20.110 carves out any vehicle, small unmanned aircraft system, other aircraft or animal operated, driven or led into the zone by an official lifeguard of the city, a member of the police or fire department, another city official, or another person acting under an official's direction, when the use is in connection with official duties.

The City Manager or designee can grant additional temporary exceptions to the chapter, which is the printed route for an event or project that needs aerial operation. The chapter puts patrol and enforcement duties on police officers, fire department personnel and lifeguards (§ 12.20.120), and the department of public works posts the prohibited activities (§ 12.20.200). The chapter also bans motor vehicles in the zone except non-motorized bicycles, emergency vehicles, vehicles authorized in writing and vehicles carrying people with physical disabilities (§ 12.20.020). This page reports only the City's printed rule for the beach safety zone. The code text searched prints no other local drone provision, so no separate rule for other parts of the city appears here.