Can I fly a drone in New York City, NY?
Short answer · Yes
Yes. Central New York City, NY is in uncontrolled Class G airspace, so you can fly up to 400 ft above the ground without FAA authorization. Watch for traffic near One Police Plaza, 0.2 NM E. Always check for temporary flight restrictions before you fly.
- Airspace at ground level
- Class G (uncontrolled)
- Nearest airport or heliport
- One Police Plaza (NK39), 0.2 NM E
For the center of New York City, from FAA data as of Oct 5, 10:04 PM CDT. Airspace changes block by block; check your exact address below, and check for temporary flight restrictions before every flight.
Check an exact address in New York City
Common questions
›Can I fly a drone in New York City, NY?
Yes. Central New York City, NY is in uncontrolled Class G airspace, so you can fly up to 400 ft above the ground without FAA authorization. Watch for traffic near One Police Plaza, 0.2 NM E. Always check for temporary flight restrictions before you fly.
›Do I need LAANC authorization to fly a drone in New York City?
Not in central New York City, which is Class G airspace. Parts of the city closer to an airport may be controlled; check the exact address above.
›Are there airports or heliports near New York City?
Within 5 NM of the city center: One Police Plaza (heliport, 0.2 NM E); Downtown Skyport (heliport, 0.7 NM S); Paulus Hook Pier (heliport, 1.2 NM W); Newport Helistop (heliport, 1.3 NM WNW); New York Skyports Inc (seaplane base, 2 NM NE).
›Do I need a license to fly a drone in New York?
For fun, you need the free FAA TRUST certificate and to register drones over 250 g. For any business use, you need an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Local parks may add their own rules.
Can I fly a drone in…
- Rockwall, TX
- Dallas, TX
- Fort Worth, TX
- Plano, TX
- Frisco, TX
- McKinney, TX
- Garland, TX
- Rowlett, TX
- Royse City, TX
- Heath, TX
- Arlington, TX
- Denton, TX
- Austin, TX
- Houston, TX
- San Antonio, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Chicago, IL
- Las Vegas, NV
- Miami, FL
- Orlando, FL
- Denver, CO
- Phoenix, AZ
- Seattle, WA
- Nashville, TN
- Washington, DC
- Grand Canyon Village, AZ
How the check works
We look up the airspace over your point at ground level. Class G is uncontrolled and needs no authorization below 400 ft. Class B, C, D and Class E surface areas around airports are controlled, and flying there needs FAA authorization, usually through LAANC (14 CFR 107.41). Temporary flight restrictions, prohibited and restricted areas, and National Park Service land each change the answer. Weather comes from the nearest airport report and the National Weather Service forecast for the exact point, compared with the Part 107 minimums and your drone's wind limit.
Recreational flyers follow the same airspace rules and also need the free TRUST certificate. Flying for any business needs a Part 107 certificate. Free Part 107 study guide.
Data sources
- Airspace & special use airspace: FAA ADDS
- LAANC ceilings: FAA UAS Facility Maps
- Temporary flight restrictions: FAA TFR feed and NOTAM records
- Airports & heliports: FAA NASR
- METAR & TAF: NOAA Aviation Weather Center
- Hourly forecast: National Weather Service
- Park boundaries: National Park Service
- Elevation: USGS 3DEP
- Kp index: NOAA SWPC
- Charts: FAA VFR Sectional & Terminal
All public sources, read live. Not affiliated with the FAA and not an approved LAANC provider.