Raleigh, North Carolina’s newly published drone park guidelines showcase a problem plaguing municipalities across America: cities can’t seem to figure out where their authority ends and federal airspace control begins. The confusion isn’t just an academic legal debate—it directly impacts every recreational and commercial drone pilot trying to understand which rules actually apply to their flights.
The City of Raleigh Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources department published comprehensive guidelines for drone operations in city parks, listing approved locations, operational hours, and various restrictions. While focused on public safety and responsible use, the document restates federal FAA flight rules as if they were municipal requirements—a jurisdictional overreach that creates operational confusion for pilots who may not understand which authority actually governs their flights.
What Cities Can Actually Control
Raleigh has legitimate authority over specific aspects of drone operations within its parks. The city can legally regulate takeoff and landing locations on city-owned property, operating hours for drone activities, and designated launch sites for heavier drones. The guidelines require drones over 400 grams (14 ounces) to use specific locations while allowing lighter aircraft to operate more freely.
Land-use restrictions prohibiting launches from nature preserves, cemeteries, lakes, and wetland centers fall squarely within municipal authority. These restrictions don’t conflict with federal aviation law because they regulate ground-based activities on city property, not airspace operations…