City Of Orlando Rewrites Drone Code, Still Tries to Supplant FAA | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-05.19.25

Airborne-NextGen-05.20.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.21.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-05.22.25

AirborneUnlimited-05.23.25

Fri, Dec 09, 2016

City Of Orlando Rewrites Drone Code, Still Tries to Supplant FAA

Cites Explosive Growth Of Hobby Aircraft, Advances In Technology

The City of Orlando, FL has rewritten the section of its municipal code dealing with unmanned aircraft in light of their exploding popularity among hobbyists and businesses, and will require permits to fly near city parks and buildings.

The section of the code had previously been titled "Airplanes Operated by Use of a Control Line, Radio or Other Electrical Device in Parks, Streets, etc." It also covered the use of model rockets.

Now, Section 43.02 is titled "Operation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems -  Restrictions on Operations."

The city says that it recognizes the expanding use of drones by hobbyists and businesses, and that it wishes to "increase the ability of hobbyists and commercial users to operate unmanned aircraft within the City of Orlando, while recognizing the need to protect the safety and privacy of the citizens and visitors to the city."

The proposed ordinance would make it illegal to "cause an unmanned aircraft to launch or land, or for any person to operate or assist in the operation of any unmanned aircraft system out of doors unless permitted to do so by the City of Orlando, when that person is on city property:

  • At or within 500 feet of any Venue
  • At or within 500 feet of any outdoor public assembly
  • At or within 500 feet of an event with more than 1000 people in attendance
  • At or within 500 feet of any county or municipal detention facility

It also prohibits flights on city property within 500 feet of a park, any public or private school, or city building such as city hall and police and fire stations.

Flights near schools can only be conducted with the permission of the school, but only if it is included in their policies and procedures.

The city plans to require drone operators to obtain a permit to fly under any of those circumstances, but has not yet determined the standards under which those permits will be issued. Other exceptions are aircraft operated by a government agency, and aircraft that are authorized by the FAA to fly in the city's airspace.

Violators may be subject to arrest, fines, and jail time.

(Images from file)

FMI: Orlando Drone Law

Advertisement

More News

Oshkosh Memories: An Aero-News Stringer Perspective

From 2021: The Inside Skinny On What Being An ANN Oshkosh Stringer Is All About By ANN Senior Stringer Extraordinare, Gene Yarbrough The annual gathering at Oshkosh is a right of p>[...]

NTSB Prelim: Piper PA32RT

Video Showed That During The Takeoff, The Nose Baggage Door Was Open On May 10, 2025, about 0935 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, N30689, was destroyed when it was invol>[...]

ANN FAQ: Follow Us On Instagram!

Get The Latest in Aviation News NOW on Instagram Are you on Instagram yet? It's been around for a few years, quietly picking up traction mostly thanks to everybody's new obsession >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (05.28.25)

"I think what is key, we have offered a bonus to air traffic controllers who are eligible to retire. We are going to pay them a 20% bonus on their salary to stay longer. Don't reti>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (05.28.25): Pilot Briefing

Aero Linx: Pilot Briefing The gathering, translation, interpretation, and summarization of weather and aeronautical information into a form usable by the pilot or flight supervisor>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC