Oklahoma Drone Laws

Three types of drone laws are implemented in Oklahoma, USA. These laws are:

1. State drone laws
2. Local drone laws
3. Federal drone laws

State Drone Laws:

The state drone laws have to be obeyed within the entire state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Oklahoma Legislature are responsible for enforcing these laws. Currently, Oklahoma has only one state drone law:

• HB 2559 // 2016 (1)

This law states that it is strictly prohibited to operate an unmanned aircraft system within or near a critical infrastructure facilities like:

• A petroleum refinery
• Electricity generating plant
• Dam
• Cell towers and other telecom infrastructures

This law is not applicable if the unmanned aircraft system operators are:-

• Government officials
• Law enforcement agencies
• Owners of the above mentioned critical infrastructure facilities
• People who have written permission from the owners of the property
• Commercial operators who have acquired proper permission from the Federal Aviation Administration

If a person disobeys this law then they are responsible for paying off any damages caused by their drone operations in the area

Local Drone Laws

These laws are applicable only on certain areas, counties or cities. Presently, there are no local drone laws in the state of Oklahoma.

Federal Drone Laws

The Federal Aviation Administration is responsible for enforcing drone laws in the US. The Federal Government has made it mandatory for all states to obey these laws, including Oklahoma. There are three different types of federal drone laws i.e. recreational, commercial, and for government operations.

Operating unmanned aircraft systems for commercial usage:

There are three main rules that must be obeyed in the case of commercial drone operations.

1. Part 107 rules are a set of drone laws that have been imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration. It is mandatory for all commercial drone pilots to operate their unmanned aircraft systems under the Part 107 rules. These rules provide a detailed understanding about all the dos and don’ts of operating drones in the US.
2. The Federal Aviation Administration has also made it compulsory for commercial drone operators to pass an Aeronautical Knowledge Test. This test contains a series of questions regarding maintenance of drones, rules and regulations applicable on unmanned aerial vehicles, effect of weather conditions on UAVs, radio communication etc. By clearing this test, the drone pilots become eligible for acquiring the remote pilot certification from FAA.
3. Proper registration of the unmanned aircraft system is another requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration for commercial drone pilots. The registration process costs around $5, and it is valid for three years. In order to make it easier for the owners to identify their drones, it is recommended to display the registration number on the unmanned aircraft system.

For government operators:

There are two choices available for government employees who operate unmanned aircraft systems. They can either acquire a Federal Certificate of Authorization (COA) from the Federal Aviation Administration or they can choose to operate under FAA’s part 107 drone regulations. The following rules are included in FAA’s Part 107 drone rules:

• It is mandatory for drone operators to clear an Aeronautical Knowledge Test. This enables then to obtain a remote pilot certification.
• Drone operators are liable to follow all the airspace restrictions imposed in the United States. Operations in all airspaces (Class A, Class B,…), except class G, are strictly prohibited.
• Operating an unmanned aircraft system at an altitude higher than 400 feet is strictly prohibited.
• It is compulsory for an unmanned aircraft system to be registered with the FAA.
• In order to avoid accidents, drone operations have been restricted at night.

For flying a drone as a recreational hobby:

Compared to the restrictions imposed on commercial drone pilots, restrictions enforced on drone hobbyists are not as strict. Drone operations which are solely conducted for the purpose of recreation have to follow the “Recreational Model Aircraft” laws imposed by the FAA. FAA’s Reauthorization Act also provides a list of rules that must be obeyed by drone hobbyists. The rules specified by the Federal aviation authority are:

• Drone registration is only mandatory if the unmanned aircraft system weighs more than 0.55 lbs.
• Drone operators are not allowed to fly their drones over people without obtaining their permission beforehand.
• Drone operations should be limited to authorized airspaces only (such as Class G).
• For operating in restricted airspaces, drone operators need to get authorization from FAA.
• The maximum altitude for drone operations is 400 feet.

Drone Regulation Compliance Tips:

These drone rules and regulations are followed all over the world.

• The speed limit for unmanned aircraft systems is 100 mph:

In order to ensure the safety of the people, most countries have started imposing speed limits on unmanned aircraft systems. Drone operators are not allowed to fly their drone at a speed greater than 100 mph. (3)

• Drone operations in private properties:

Drone operators are allowed to freely operate their unmanned aircraft systems within their own private properties. However, if they wish to operate their unmanned aerial vehicles in someone else’s land, they need to obtain proper authorization from the land owner before conducting the drone operation.

• Respect people’s privacy:

Unmanned aircraft systems should never be used for the purpose of trespassing on someone’s property, spying, stalking, secretly capturing photos and videos of people, etc. All of these acts are considered to be criminal offenses, and are punishable under the law.

• License for uploading videos that are filmed using drones:

If a person wishes to film a video using an unmanned aircraft system and upload it with the intent to monetize it, then they need to obtain a Part 107 license from the Federal Aviation Administration.

• Carrying a drone while travelling domestically in the US:

Transportation Security Administration of the US allows people to carry an unmanned aircraft system while traveling. However, they are only allowed to bring it in their ‘carry on’ luggage.