Recreational drone flight in Worcester County is governed by FAA rules (49 USC §44809) — registration required for drones over 0.55 lbs, 400-ft altitude ceiling, TRUST test mandatory. Worcester Regional Airport (KORH) and Fitchburg Municipal (KFIT) control airspace; LAANC required.
Worcester County has no drone ordinance because county government was abolished in 1998, and Massachusetts has no statewide drone law — recreational drone use falls entirely under FAA regulation. Federal law (49 USC §44809, the Exception for Recreational Flyers) requires drones over 0.55 lbs registered with the FAA ($5), flight below 400 feet AGL, maintained visual line of sight, and no flight near airports, stadiums, or emergency response areas. All recreational flyers must pass the free FAA TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test). Worcester County has two controlled-airspace airports: Worcester Regional Airport (KORH, Class D surface to 2,500 ft MSL) and Fitchburg Municipal Airport (KFIT) — both require LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) authorization before recreational flight within their Class D/E airspace rings. Many Worcester County municipalities have local park rules prohibiting drone takeoff/landing in public parks (Worcester Parks & Recreation, Fitchburg parks, Leominster parks). MGL c. 272 §99 (wiretap statute) and common-law privacy torts apply to drones that capture images of people in private spaces. The FAA 2023 Remote ID rule requires Remote ID compliance for most drones over 0.55 lbs (built-in or broadcast module).
FAA violations: civil penalties $1,000-$27,500 per incident; criminal penalties for reckless operation near airports. Worcester park launches without authorization: $50-$300 municipal fine. Privacy tort lawsuits possible under MGL c. 214 §1B. Wiretap violations under MGL c. 272 §99: up to 5 years in state prison.
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