Troy, MI Noise Ordinances: Aircraft Noise (2026)
Key Facts
- Hover limit
- aircraft must stay 100+ feet from property
- Landing/takeoff
- barred except licensed airport or heliport
- Approach surface
- defined at Zoning Ch. 39 Sec. 41.12.01
- Exceptions
- medical emergency, permitted construction lifts, police/fire/military
- Penalty
- up to $500 fine and/or 90 days jail
- In force since
- revised 10-07-1996
Summary
Troy bars anyone from landing, launching, or hovering aircraft over private property unless the site is a licensed airport or heliport. Chapter 88, Section 22 defines "aircraft" broadly, from airplanes to tethered balloons, and makes it unlawful to hover within 100 feet of any property, building, or water, aside from emergencies, permitted construction lifts, and police, fire, or military operations.
22. Aircraft. The term "aircraft" shall include any and all contrivances now or hereafter used for navigation or flight in the air or space, including but not limited to airplanes, airships, balloons, hovercraft, dirigibles, helicopters, gliders, amphibians and seaplanes. This definition shall include any type of tethered contrivance. It shall be unlawful for any individual to use or attempt to use any property, building, land or water for landing or taking-off of aircraft other than property duly licensed and approved as an airport or heliport. ... It shall be unlawful for any individual to hover or attempt to hover an aircraft over property, building, land or water except in the approach surface of an airport or heliport, as defined in Chapter 39, Section 41.12.01 of the Troy City Code. To "hover" shall mean the suspension of an aircraft closer to any property, building, land or water than one hundred (100) feet.
Full Breakdown
01 of the zoning ordinance. The Code defines "hover" as suspending an aircraft closer than 100 feet to any property, building, or water, so a helicopter idling above a backyard at 80 feet is squarely covered even without ever touching down. Three narrow exceptions exist: emergency transport of medical patients, personnel, or supplies; construction-site lifts, but only with a valid Building Department permit and prior City notice and approval; and aircraft operated by or under the direction of a police, fire, or military officer for public-safety purposes. The rule dates to a 1996 revision (Rev. 10-07-96) and sits inside Chapter 88's broader Nuisances article, alongside noise, litter, and abatement provisions. 13.
Violations & Fines
Violating the aircraft landing, takeoff, or hover ban is enforced under the City Code's general penalty, Section 1.13, since Chapter 88's Municipal Civil Infraction list (Section 24) covers only Sections 9.1 through 9.20 and 15, not Section 22. That default penalty is a fine of up to $500 and/or imprisonment for up to 90 days, with each day a violation continues counted as a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can helicopters land in my Troy backyard?
Is there a decibel limit for aircraft flying over Troy?
Are drones covered under Troy's aircraft rule?
What's the penalty for violating the hover restriction?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Troy
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