The 5 Best Places to Fly a Drone Near New York City (2024)

In this article, we’ve scouted out the best places to fly a drone near New York City, New York.

If you live in (or are traveling to) New York City, please use this page as a resource to better understand not just where to fly, but also where it’s legal and illegal to fly a drone. We provide guidance on regulations to help you stay compliant with both federal and local rules.

A Sectional Chart of the airspace surrounding New York City, NY. Source: VFR Map

New York City Drone Laws — Recreational vs. Commercial

The first thing to understand about flying a drone in New York City (or any city for that matter) is that under federal FAA regulations, you are either operating recreationally or commercially.

• Recreational drone pilots fall under the FAA’s recreational flyer rules, which are laid out here. Make sure your aircraft is registered and you complete The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST), which are both required by the FAA.
• Commercial drone pilots fall under the FAA’s Part 107 regulations, which require passing a multiple-choice test and becoming an FAA-certified drone pilot. More information on the drone certification process over here.

Drone operators are no longer required to independently contact air traffic control when flying within five miles of an airport. Instead, both recreational and commercial flyers can use the automated LAANC system to request airspace authorization to fly in controlled airspace around and above many airports. If you’re operating in Class B, C, D, or E controlled airspace, you’ll need to request airspace authorization. You may do this through LAANC or through FAADroneZone in areas where LAANC is not available.

When we list locations below, we’ll share whether they sit in controlled or uncontrolled airspace.

Get up-to-date airspace information, including temporary flight restrictions, using free apps like Aloft , Autopylot , or B4UFLY .

Interested in becoming an FAA-certified drone pilot so you can operate under the Part 107 regulations and make money flying your drone? Check out our industry-leading, online training course over at Drone Pilot Ground School.

So those are the federal rules.

But what about local New York City drone laws?

Here’s a guide we put together for drone laws in New York. Make sure to consult that to see if there are any local drone ordinances that you should follow in New York City. When in doubt, use good judgment and follow the FAA’s guidelines.

Note: The content on this page is meant for informational purposes only and is not meant to take the place of legal counsel. If we missed something, or if you have further questions, please send an email to support[at]horizonap[dot]com, and we’ll do our best to help you out.

Where to Fly a Drone Near New York City

Alrighty—without further ado, here are our top picks for the best places to fly a drone in the New York City area. We selected these locations based on airspace restrictions, accessibility, and attractions. You’ll find that most of the locations we’ve chosen are located in uncontrolled, Class G airspace where you don’t need to request permission to fly. Additionally, we made sure to highlight any locations with designated sUAS/remote aircraft fields.

Please note that New York City Administrative Code states that it is illegal to take off or land a drone, except in an emergency, at any place within the limits of New York City other than places of landing designated by the department of transportation or the port of New York authority. The locations listed in this guide sit in locations near, but outside the limits of, New York City.

1 — Flushing Meadows-Corona Park Flying Field

Meadow Lake Dr, Forest Hills, NY 11375

• Airspace Class: Class B — Controlled
• Airspace Map: https://b4ufly.aloft.ai/?lat=40.746800&long=-73.843600

Flushing Meadows-Corona Park is the largest park in Queens. It’s full of recreational amenities, including a model aircraft field. Flushing Meadows’ designated flying field is adjacent to Meadow Lake and Van Wyck Expressway. It’s a beautiful area for capturing aerial photos and videos of the lake and surrounding area.

Source: Flapane

2 — Calvert Vaux Park AMA Field

Bay 44th St. & Hunter Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11214

• Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
• Airspace Map: https://b4ufly.aloft.ai/?lat=40.584854&long=-73.994934

Calvert Vaux Park is an AMA members-only park operated by Seaview Rotary Wings RC flying club. Seaview Rotary Wings requires pilots to be a paid member of both the local club and the national club in order to fly at Calvert Vaux. For many, having access to a park with other remote pilots focused on safety is worth the membership fees. The wide-open landscape is perfect for taking flight with your RC drone or model aircraft.

3 — Senator Speno Memorial Park

745 E Meadow Ave, East Meadow, NY 11554

• Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
• Airspace Map: https://b4ufly.aloft.ai/?lat=40.707721&long=-73.549460

Senator Speno Memorial Park is an ideal place to fly your drone. The park offers free parking and plenty of open, grassy areas. It is a popular destination for athletics, with a baseball field, soccer field, handball courts, and basketball courts.

Source: Google Maps

4 — LaTourette Park Model Airfield

299 Alaska Pl, Staten Island, NY 10306

• Airspace Class: Class G — Uncontrolled
• Airspace Map: https://b4ufly.aloft.ai/?lat=40.571621&long=-74.165514

LaTourette Park Model Airfield is located just outside of New York City in Staten Island. The property features a nice open field that is surrounded by a beautiful marsh landscape that looks incredible from the air. Drone pilots will enjoy the expansive area and flying with other drone enthusiasts.

Source: Google Maps

5 — Tanner Park

400 Baylawn Ave, Copiague, NY 11726

• Airspace Class: Class D — Controlled
• Airspace Map: https://b4ufly.aloft.ai/?lat=40.680000&long=-73.400000

Tanner Park is located on Long Island’s Great South Bay. Much of the park is beachfront with other surrounding activities for sports, marine activities, and dining. Parts of the beach are restricted to use by Town of Babylon residents with a permit. However, Bay Beach is open to all.

Take a Drone Flight Training Class Near New York City

If you’re new to drones or looking to take your flight skills to the next level, we offer hands-on drone flight training near the New York City area. Our classes start at 2-hours long, and our expert instructors walk you through what to do before, during and after your flight—you’ll practice intelligent flight modes and learn how to stay safe but also how to get the shots or data you need. During the class, you’ll also get a chance to ask questions about regulations, software, flight operations management, checklists and more.

Sign up for a hands-on drone flight training class near New York City.