Florida Drone Laws: Where to Find the Official Rules
Florida has two main drone statutes: the Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act (§ 330.41), which preempts most local drone-operation rules, bans weaponized drones, and criminalizes flights over critical infrastructure — elevated to a third-degree felony (and extended to flights over schools) effective October 1, 2025 — and the Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act (§ 934.50), which bars drone camera surveillance of people or private property without consent and generally requires police to get a warrant. Because the state preempts drone operation rules, remaining local ordinances mostly govern conduct and use of city-owned property such as parks and event venues. Florida State Parks prohibit launching or landing drones.
Can cities and counties in Florida 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 Florida sources
These links go directly to government and primary sources. They open in a new tab.
Official statute text
- Fla. Stat. § 330.41 — Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act (official text, Online Sunshine) www.leg.state.fl.us (opens in a new tab)
- Fla. Stat. § 934.50 — Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act (official text, Florida Senate) www.flsenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
- HB 1121 (2025) — official bill summary: critical-infrastructure drone offense raised to third-degree felony, school-overflight ban (effective Oct. 1, 2025) www.flsenate.gov (opens in a new tab)
State agency
Local rules we've verified in Florida
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 .
- City of Miami — City Code § 37-12 Miami City Code § 37-12 ("Public safety and unmanned aircraft systems") bans drone flights over and within a half-mile of large-venue special events (such as Bayfront Park events) and limits drones to 5 pounds with no releasable payload; FAA-authorized operations are exempt. library.municode.com (opens in a new tab)
- City of Miami Beach — drone filming permits Official city Drone Permits page: aerial filming over Miami Beach requires a Film & Print Permit, and the city does not allow commercial drone filming under recreational rules. www.miamibeachfl.gov (opens in a new tab)
- City of Orlando — drone conditions for city parks Official city guidance: flying in a city park requires the park manager's permission, FAA licensure, coordination with the Orlando Executive Airport tower, and staying under 400 feet. www.orlando.gov (opens in a new tab)
What Florida’s drone statutes actually cover
- The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act (§ 330.41). Florida’s main drone statute bans weaponized drones and makes it a crime to fly over or near designated critical infrastructure (power plants, refineries, wired-communications facilities, and more). HB 1121, effective October 1, 2025, raised the knowing/willful critical-infrastructure offense from a misdemeanor to a third-degree felony (up to 5 years), expanded the critical-infrastructure list, and banned drone flights over all pre-K–12 schools.
- The Freedom from Unwarranted Surveillance Act (§ 934.50). No one — including law enforcement, absent a warrant or listed exception — may use a drone camera to surveil people or private property where there’s a reasonable expectation of privacy, and property owners get a civil cause of action against violators.
- State parks. Florida State Parks prohibit launching or landing drones in parks (Fla. Admin. Code 62D-2.014), largely to protect nesting birds and other wildlife.
Preemption — with a practical caveat
Section 330.41(3) expressly preempts cities and counties from regulating drone operation — airspace, altitude, flight paths, purposes of operation, and pilot qualifications are state matters. But the statute preserves generally applicable local ordinances (nuisance, voyeurism, harassment, reckless endangerment, property damage), and local governments still control the use of their own property. That’s why the local rules you’ll actually encounter in Florida — like Miami’s special-event flight ban or Orlando’s park-manager permission requirement — are framed around conduct and city property rather than flight rules.
Check any other Florida city or county with the look-up workflow on the regulations hub before you fly.