Aerial Imaging Services in Binghamton, 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

Binghamton is governed by New York state drone law (NY Penal Law 250.55) and FAA Part 107 regulations. The City of Binghamton does not have a specific municipal drone ordinance as of 2026, but commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned property requires authorization from the Binghamton Department of Parks and Recreation. City parks including Cheri Lindsey Park, Recreation Park, Confluence Park, and the Chenango Riverwalk trail require explicit permission for commercial drone operations. Broome County parks (including Otsiningo Park and Nathaniel Cole Park) require a commercial use permit from the Broome County Parks Department. Commercial drone filming for movies, TV, or advertising requires a film permit from the Binghamton Film Office and coordination with the Binghamton Police Department. New York State parks require a permit under 9 NYCRR 375.1. The Susquehanna River waterfront and riverfront trail system are managed by multiple agencies including the City of Binghamton, Broome County, and the NYS Canal Corporation. FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations. LAANC authorization is required for flights within BGM Class D airspace boundaries.

Restricted Airspace

• Greater Binghamton Airport (BGM) has Class D airspace with a 4 NM radius surface area, located approximately 8 NM north of downtown Binghamton. The Class D covers the town of Maine, Chenango, and portions of Dickinson and Fenton. Commercial drone operations within the BGM Class D lateral boundaries require LAANC authorization. While downtown Binghamton is generally outside the BGM Class D surface area, operators in northern Binghamton and the town of Chenango should check airspace boundaries. BGM has regional commercial service and corporate aviation traffic.
• The Southern Tier region is near the Pennsylvania border, and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport (AVP) Class C airspace is approximately 50 NM south. While AVP does not directly affect Binghamton airspace, commercial operators working on projects in the broader Southern Tier-Pennsylvania border region should check AVP Class C boundaries if traveling south. The airspace over the border region is generally Class E above 14,500 feet with Class G below, but operators should verify via B4UFLY.
• The Binghamton University (SUNY Binghamton) campus, located in Vestal approximately 3 NM west of downtown, has campus drone policies. The university operates drone research through its School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and has designated flight areas. Commercial operators conducting aerial imaging projects on or near campus property should coordinate with campus security and the university's research compliance office. The ongoing $300+ million campus expansion creates construction data collection opportunities.
• The Susquehanna River and Chenango River confluence in downtown Binghamton has moderate helicopter traffic including news, medevac, and State Police helicopters. The river valleys create natural flight corridors for helicopter operations. Drone operators flying near the riverfront, the Cheri Lindsey Park, and the Confluence Park area should maintain situational awareness of low-altitude helicopter traffic, especially during flood monitoring events when Army Corps of Engineers and NYS DEC helicopters are active.
• The Greater Binghamton area has several active and former industrial sites with environmental remediation projects. The former IBM Endicott campus (approximately 5 NM west) is a well-known remediation site with ongoing groundwater monitoring and vapor intrusion mitigation. Commercial drone operators working on environmental site assessments should coordinate with the NYS DEC Environmental Remediation Program and the property owners. The former Ansco and General Electric industrial sites in the Binghamton area also have ongoing environmental monitoring that can benefit from aerial imaging capabilities.