Roswell, GA Drone Rules: Recreational Drones (2026)

14, added to the Roswell Code of Ordinances by Ordinance No. 2019-12-35 on December 9, 2019, defines an 'unmanned aircraft' as 'a powered, aerial vehicle or device that: (1) Does not carry a human operator and is operated without the possibility of direct human intervention from within or on the vehicle or device; (2) Uses aerodynamic forces to provide vehicle lift; (3) Can fly autonomously or be piloted remotely; and (4) Can be expendable or recoverable,' expressly excluding satellites (subsections (a)-(b)). ' That means a recreational flier who breaks an FAA rule, such as flying inside a temporary flight restriction area, exceeding the FAA's altitude ceiling, or operating without required registration, commits a City of Roswell code violation enforceable by the Roswell Police Department in municipal court, in addition to any federal enforcement action by the FAA itself.

The Code does not separately regulate recreational drone flight over private property or set a minimum altitude of its own; only the FAA-violation trigger in subsection (c) and the city-property launch/landing ban in subsection (d) exist locally. 00, up to 180 days' imprisonment, up to 180 days of community service, or any combination, with each day of a continuing violation a separate offense.