Mississippi Drone Laws

Looking to fly your new drone in the state of Mississippi? Before you set off, you need to know about the rules and regulations that apply to you first. This includes specific laws that apply to the state of Mississippi as well as laws set out by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Mississippi State Drone Laws

Currently, the only Mississippi state law that mentions drones specifically is Senate Bill 2022, which makes it a felony to commit “peeping tom” activities using a drone. This includes using a drone with a camera or voice recording device attached to take photos of or record someone in a location where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. This applies to areas in both private and public spaces.

Even though there aren’t more state drone laws currently in place – it’s still important to use common sense when flying to avoid any trouble. While other laws do not necessarily mention drones specifically, law enforcement may still apply them to you if they feel you have violated any of them.

Mississippi Local Drone Laws

According to what we could find, there are currently no local drone laws in Mississippi, although there may be some rules or laws in place that aren’t available on any database that can be easily found. So it’s maybe a good idea to be careful nonetheless and ask around or call ahead to make sure you’re free to fly in a specific area like a park, lake, or beach.

Also, keep in mind that while there may not be any local drone laws in place or new drone bills currently in the works for Mississippi, that may quickly change at any time. Local (and state) laws are passed much quicker than on a federal level and so you need to keep checking regularly to make sure you’re still sticking to the rules.

Federal Drone Laws

There may not be a lot of regulation on a local or state level in Mississippi, but there are plenty of federal laws that you need to comply with at all times – and not just in this state, of course, but everywhere in the US.

The Federal Aviation Administration is in charge of all airspace-related regulation in the US, and that includes drones. The FAA has implemented several regulations that drone owners need to know about even before they start flying. This is because, if you own a drone that weighs under 55 lbs then you need to comply with the small UAS rule which means you have to register with the FAA before you’re allowed to take off – even for a first test flight.  Registration is pretty simple for the most part, and can be done on the FAA’s website. Although there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1. The FAA puts drone flyers into two groups: recreational and commercial operators.
2. When you register your drone, you will have to apply in one of those two categories.
3. Commercial drone fliers have to comply with additional steps when registering, including taking an aeronautical knowledge test and getting a drone pilot’s license. Recreational flyers don’t have to do this at the time of writing, but the FAA is planning on implementing a mandatory aeronautical knowledge test for recreational operators in the near future.
4. After registering, you have to stick the registration number on your drone and carry your certification with you whenever you’re using the drone.

If your drone weighs above 55 lbs (with load) then you will still have to register your drone with the FAA, but under the Unmanned Aircraft (UA) 14 CFR Part 47 classification.

Recreational Operator Rules

If you’re flying solely for fun, then all you need to do is comply with the flight rules set out by the FAA, which mainly aims to protect people’s safety and privacy and dictate where you’re allowed to fly.

Some of the basic rules you need to be aware of are:

• Fly at or below 400 feet
• Keep your drone within sight
• Don’t fly in restricted airspace
• Don’t fly near other aircraft, especially near airports
• Don’t fly over groups of people
• Don’t fly over stadiums or sports events
• Don’t fly near emergency response efforts such as fires
• Don’t fly under the influence

You can find the rest of the recreational flyer rules listed on the FAA’s website.

Commercial Operator Rules

The rules are stricter for commercial flyers who need to abide by Part 107, which sets out several restrictions on how, when, and where you can fly your drone.

The Part 107 rules sets out a long list of limitations and requirements and it’s important to go through all of them carefully to ensure you stay compliant. Although you apply for a waiver from the FAA for some of the rules such as the visual line of sight rule which is one of the most restrictive rules on the list.

Important note: If you’re registered as a commercial operator, you can still fly under recreational rules during times when you aren’t flying for commercial purposes. There are no rules set out by the FAA that prohibits commercial flyers from following recreational rules during times when they are flying as a hobbyist.

Drone Regulations Compliance Tips

The FAA along with several other organizations posts real-time updates about airspace restrictions on the Know Before You Fly website and on its B4UFLY app. These should be your go-to resources when you’re unsure of whether you’re allowed to fly in a specific area or not – although keep in mind that the website/app isn’t omnipotent and may miss some local spots here and there. So if you’re still unsure, and if it’s possible to contact a person in charge of the property, then it’s best to do so.

The airspace 5 miles around an airport is considered restricted airspace and you’re not allowed to fly your drone in this space without permission. Since this restricts drone flight a great deal in some cities, you can use the LAANC or DroneZone to apply for a permit to fly in these areas.

Many of the rules set out for drone operators are just common sense, which is a necessary trait when flying anyway. Don’t fly over groups of people and stay away from emergency service operations. Stick to safe flight practices and respect other people’s privacy and you should be good.