Drone Laws in Iowa (2024)
A list of drone regulations and links for people flying drones in Iowa.
Iowa Drone Regulations
Iowa Drone Regulations
Federal Drone Laws in Iowa
These are drone laws that apply to every state in the U.S., including Iowa, and were created by the federal government.
To fly a drone as a commercial pilot in the state of Iowa (i.e. for work / business purposes) you are required to follow the requirements of the FAA’s Part 107 Small UAS Rule (Part 107), which includes passing the FAA’s Aeronautical Knowledge Test to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate.
To fly a drone as a hobbyist in the state of Iowa (i.e. for fun / pleasure) you are required by the FAA to take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). You are also required to follow the FAA’s recreational model aircraft rules. One of those rules is that if your drone weighs more than 0.55 lbs (250g), you’ll need to pay $5 to get it registered. There are additional rules when it comes to airspace and altitude, keeping your drone within line-of-sight while you’re flying, and more.
To fly a drone as a government employee in the state of Iowa (i.e., for a police or fire department) you may either operate under the FAA’s Part 107 rule or obtain a federal Certificate of Authorization (COA).
Note: The content on this page is meant for informational purposes only, and is not meant to take the place of legal counsel.
State Drone Laws in Iowa
These are drone laws that apply to the entire state of Iowa, and were created by the Iowa General Assembly.
According to the Iowa Department of Transportation and the Iowa General Assembly, Iowa has one state-wide law concerning the use of drones in the state.
This law makes it illegal for a state agency to use a UAS to enforce traffic laws. This law requires a warrant, or other lawful means, to use information obtained via UAS in a civil or criminal court proceeding.
All drone pilots operating commercially in the state of Iowa are subject to the FAA’s Part 107 rules. Learn more about the FAA’s certification process to obtain a commercial drone license in this free guide.
Know something we don’t about drone laws in Iowa? Send us an email at support[at]horizonap[dot]com. We do our best to keep this list up-to-date, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how municipal governments are responding, drone regulations in Iowa can change throughout the year, and changes can be hard to track. If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.
Why fly a drone in Iowa? To get great shots like these!
Local Drone Laws in Iowa
These are drone laws that apply only to certain regions, cities, or counties within the state of Iowa, and were created by various authorities within the state.
Our team wasn’t able to pin down any local drone laws in the state of Iowa. If you know of one that should be listed here, please shoot us an email at support[at]horizonap[dot]com.
Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Iowa? Here you go:
