Denton County, TX Drone Rules: Recreational Drones (2026)

Recreational drone use in Denton County is regulated at the federal and state level, not the county level. FAA regulations require recreational drone pilots to register aircraft weighing over 0.55 pounds (250 grams), pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), fly below 400 feet AGL, maintain visual line-of-sight, and never fly over people or moving vehicles without an exemption. Critical airspace considerations apply throughout Denton County: the southeastern portion falls within DFW International Airport Class B airspace, Denton Enterprise Airport (DTO) has Class D airspace requiring communication or authorization, and Alliance Airport (AFW) Class D airspace affects the southern portion of the county. Recreational pilots must obtain LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) authorization through apps like B4UFLY, Aloft, or AirMap before flying in controlled airspace. Texas Government Code Chapter 423 adds state-level restrictions: it is illegal to use a drone to capture images of individuals or private property with the intent to conduct surveillance without consent. This is particularly relevant in the HOA-heavy master-planned communities of Denton County where privacy expectations are high. Violations of Chapter 423 are a Class C misdemeanor for a first offense and Class B for subsequent offenses.