Aerial Imaging Services in Troy, NY

FAA Part 107 Requirements

All commercial drone operations in New York require the pilot to hold an active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Our network operators are verified Part 107 holders.

State Drone Laws

New York regulates drone operations through a combination of criminal surveillance statutes, state park rules, and local ordinances. New York Penal Law 250.55 (amended 2023) classifies unlawful surveillance conducted via unmanned aerial vehicle as a Class E felony, prohibiting the use of drones to capture images of individuals in private settings without consent. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation requires a commercial use permit under 9 NYCRR 375.1 for drone operations in all state parks and historic sites. New York does not require a separate state-level commercial drone license or registration, but all commercial operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and register their aircraft with the FAA. New York City has additional local restrictions — Local Law 152 of 2024 requires permits for commercial drone filming on city property and within certain NYC parks. Westchester County parks require a permit from the Westchester County Parks Department. The state does not broadly preempt local municipalities, meaning individual cities and towns may enact their own drone ordinances governing takeoff, landing, and operation on public property. Commercial operators near military installations (West Point Military Reservation, Watervliet Arsenal, Stewart Air National Guard Base) must coordinate with base operations and check NOTAMs. The FAA controls all airspace above 400 feet AGL and LAANC authorization is available for Class B and C airspace across the NYC metro region.

Local Ordinances

Commercial drone operations in Troy follow FAA Part 107 and New York Penal Law 250.55, and takeoff or landing in city parks including Riverfront Park, Prospect Park, and Frear Park requires permission from the City of Troy Department of Public Works / Parks and Recreation. Properties within the Central Troy Historic District may require review for commercial filming of protected facades, and operators should contact the Planning Department before aerial photography of landmark structures. Launching from private property requires owner consent, and flights within the ALB Class C shelf over western Troy require LAANC authorization.

Restricted Airspace

• Albany International Airport (ALB) has Class C airspace whose outer shelf extends over Latham and parts of western and southern Troy near the Collar City Bridge corridor. Commercial drone operations within the ALB Class C lateral boundaries require LAANC authorization. Operators should check the FAA UAS facility map grids for downtown Troy, since some grid cells near the Hudson River waterfront carry authorization ceilings while areas farther east are uncontrolled Class G.
• Watervliet Arsenal sits directly across the Hudson River from Troy, roughly one mile west of the Riverfront Park waterfront. It is an active U.S. Army manufacturing facility producing tank cannon and artillery tubes with security restrictions on aerial photography. While there is no restricted airspace directly over the arsenal, commercial drone operators launching from the Troy waterfront should coordinate with arsenal security and avoid imaging the facility.
• The Hudson River corridor through Troy carries barge traffic, recreational boats, and low-altitude helicopter traffic including New York State Police, news, and medevac units. The Veterans Memorial Bridge (Uncle Sam Bridge) and the Collar City Bridge connect Troy to Watervliet and Green Island, and the Federal Dam at the Troy waterfront marks the head of navigation. Drone operators flying along the Riverfront Park promenade and the Troy waterfront should maintain situational awareness of low-altitude aviation activity.
• Temporary flight restrictions (TFRs) are periodically issued around Troy for events such as RPI commencements and large downtown festivals along River Street and Monument Square, as well as VIP visits to the Capital Region. The RPI campus hosts EMPAC (Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center), whose outdoor drone-related events require coordination. Operators should check active NOTAMs before every flight near the campus or downtown core.
• The Central Troy Historic District is one of the largest designated urban historic districts in the United States, covering much of downtown Troy with Victorian-era rowhouses and cast-iron architecture along River Street. While there is no airspace restriction, commercial drone filming of historic structures may trigger Historic District and Landmark Review considerations, and operators should respect privacy expectations in dense residential neighborhoods like Washington Park and the Prospect Park hillside.