Is It Illegal To Fly A Drone Over New York?

With all the current drone sightings happening we are wondering, what are the rules and regulations when it comes to flying a drone?

Do you own a drone? Maybe it's just for pleasure and maybe you use it to film some arial shots. Whatever reason it is there are some major rules and regulations you have to follow in order to fly them around New York State.

Over the last few days people around New York state and other Northeast states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania  have reported an increased amount of drone sightings and that has prompted a bit of concern from both federal and local authorities. Who is flying them, and where did they come from?

Read More: New York State Police Issue Issue Warning Over Troubling Drone Sightings 

The reason for the concern is that some believe that these drones are not properly registered to be flying. So what exactly are the rules that people need to follow in order to fly a drone in NY?

Yes it is legal

First of all, it is totally legal to fly a drone in New York. There is a procedure you must follow for flying an unmanned aircraft and according to the NYS Office of General Service it is prohibited unless you apply and are approved to do so.

Commercial or recreational operation of any UAS on an OGS-operated property/facility is prohibited unless approved by OGS in accordance with the provisions of Part 301 of Title 9 of the New York Codes Rules and Regulations (NYCRR).  Applicants must complete an Application for Use of State Property, as well as this UAS Application Addendum, and provide all required additional documentation listed below, or in the Application.

Not just anyone can fly a drone either. You have to be officially certified by the FAA in order to fly it.

Operators must have obtained their Remote Pilot Airmen Certification from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).  Proof of such certification must be provided with the application.

The New York State DEC has rules about flying drones on state land as well. You can't jsut go to a park and start flying one under certain circumstance, as they highlight on their website.

While drone use may be acceptable on some state lands, some activities that use a drone may require an approved temporary revocable permit (TRP). Examples of some of these activities include research, gatherings of more than 20 people, competitive events or tournaments, filmmaking.

Some of the rules are complicated but it appears that you will need proper permits to be flying them. This obviously doesn't go for the small toy remote control drones that kids can use, but the large ones that could disrupt air travel.