Drone Laws in New Mexico (2024)
A list of drone regulations and links for people flying drones in New Mexico.
New Mexico Drone Regulations
New Mexico Drone Regulations
Federal Drone Laws in New Mexico
These are drone laws that apply to every state in the U.S., including New Mexico, and were created by the federal government.
To fly a drone as a commercial pilot in the state of New Mexico (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 New Mexico (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 New Mexico (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 New Mexico
These are drone laws that apply to the entire state of New Mexico, and were created by the New Mexico Legislature.
According to the New Mexico Department of Transportation and the New Mexico Legislature, New Mexico has one state-wide law concerning the use of drones in the state.
This law prohibits the use of drones for unwanted surveillance.
All drone pilots operating commercially in the state of New Mexico 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 New Mexico? 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 New Mexico 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 New Mexico? To get great shots like these!
Local Drone Laws in New Mexico
These are drone laws that apply only to certain regions, cities, or counties within the state of New Mexico, 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 New Mexico. 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 New Mexico? Here you go:
