Arizona Drone Laws: Where to Find the Official Rules
Arizona's core drone law is a single criminal statute, A.R.S. § 13-3729: it's a misdemeanor to operate a drone in a way that interferes with law-enforcement, firefighter, or emergency operations, and a felony to intentionally photograph or loiter over critical facilities in furtherance of a crime. The same statute preempts city, town, and county drone ordinances — but expressly lets local governments regulate takeoff and landing in their own parks and preserves, which is why Phoenix and other cities have park rules. Two 2026 laws added bans on flying over large ticketed entertainment events and near K-12 schools. Wildlife law treats drones as aircraft (no using them to take or harass wildlife), and recreational drone use is prohibited in all Arizona State Parks.
Can cities and counties in Arizona add their own drone rules?
State law preempts local drone rules
This state has a statute reserving drone regulation to the state, so most city and county drone ordinances are not allowed (narrow exceptions may still exist — check the statute text linked below).
Official Arizona sources
These links go directly to government and primary sources. They open in a new tab.
Official statute text
- A.R.S. § 13-3729 — unlawful operation of model or unmanned aircraft; state preemption; classification; definitions (official text) www.azleg.gov (opens in a new tab)
- A.R.S. § 17-301 — times when wildlife may be taken; methods (drones count as aircraft — no taking wildlife with them) (official text) www.azleg.gov (opens in a new tab)
- SB 1160 (2026) — drones; entertainment districts; prohibition (bill text, signed June 22, 2026: no drone flights over large ticketed events without permission) www.azleg.gov (opens in a new tab)
- SB 1627 (2026, Ch. 236) — schools; prohibition; unmanned aircraft (bill text, signed June 22, 2026: no operation within 100 feet of K-12 instructional areas without consent) www.azleg.gov (opens in a new tab)
State agency
- Arizona Game & Fish Department — fair chase rules (drones are aircraft; no using them to pursue, take, or harass wildlife, and no drone scouting starting 48 hours before a hunt) www.azgfd.com (opens in a new tab)
- Arizona Commerce Authority Film & Media Office — drones page (state guidance for drone filming in Arizona) www.azcommerce.com (opens in a new tab)
Local rules we've verified in Arizona
This is not every local ordinance in the state — only localities where we've confirmed an official source. To check any other city or county, use the look-up workflow on the regulations hub .
- Phoenix — City Code § 24-49 Phoenix City Code § 24-49 (parks chapter) prohibits taking off or landing remotely controlled aircraft and drones in any city park or preserve except at director-designated operation sites, where the AMA Safety Code applies. phoenix.municipal.codes (opens in a new tab)
- Maricopa County — county parks model aircraft policy Maricopa County Parks limits model aircraft and drone operation to designated areas — notably the Arizona Model Pilots Society field at Adobe Dam Regional Park. www.maricopacountyparks.net (opens in a new tab)
- Scottsdale — Flying Drones Safely (Scottsdale Airport) Official City of Scottsdale drone guidance, including airport-area safety rules; a 2016 city ordinance also bans model-aircraft/drone takeoff and landing in the McDowell Sonoran Preserve. www.scottsdaleaz.gov (opens in a new tab)
What Arizona’s drone statutes actually cover
- The core statute (A.R.S. § 13-3729). It is unlawful to operate a drone in violation of federal aviation rules or in a way that interferes with law-enforcement, firefighter, or emergency operations (a misdemeanor), and unlawful to intentionally photograph or loiter over or near a critical facility — power plants, substations, water-treatment plants, gas infrastructure, and similar — in furtherance of any criminal offense (a felony).
- New in 2026. Two laws signed June 22, 2026 add drone-specific prohibitions: SB 1160 bans flying drones over large ticketed entertainment events (venues with 1,000+ capacity) without permission, and SB 1627 bans operating within 100 feet of K-12 school instructional areas without authorization or consent. These are recent — check the bill text linked above (and § 13-3729’s current text) for effective dates and exemptions before relying on summaries.
- Wildlife. Arizona treats drones as aircraft under its wildlife-taking statute (§ 17-301), and Game & Fish fair-chase rules prohibit using drones to pursue, take, or harass wildlife, or to scout for a hunt starting 48 hours before a season opens.
- State parks. All recreational drone use is prohibited in Arizona State Parks; commercial drone filming is considered through a filming permit.
- No warrant statute. Arizona has not enacted a drone-specific warrant requirement for law enforcement.
Preemption — with a parks exception
A.R.S. § 13-3729(C) voids any city, town, or county ordinance regulating drone ownership or operation. But subsection (D) carves out limited local authority — including the power to regulate takeoff and landing of model aircraft in a park or preserve the local government owns, as long as other parks remain available for flying. That’s why the Phoenix, Maricopa County, and Scottsdale rules above are valid, and why they’re all about parks and preserves rather than the airspace.