Aerial Imaging Services in Buffalo, 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

Buffalo is governed by New York state drone law (NY Penal Law 250.55) and FAA Part 107 regulations. The City of Buffalo 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 Buffalo Department of Public Works, Parks and Streets. City parks including Delaware Park, Cazenovia Park, and the Buffalo Olmsted Parks System require explicit permission from the Buffalo Parks Department. The Buffalo Olmsted Park System, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, is a historic landmark and additional preservation review may be required for commercial filming. The Buffalo National Register Historic Districts (including the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor) may require review from the Buffalo Preservation Board for drone filming of historic structures. Erie County parks (including Como Lake Park and Emery Park) require a commercial use permit from the Erie County Parks Department. Commercial drone filming for movies, TV, or advertising requires a film permit from the Buffalo Niagara Film Office. New York State parks require a permit under 9 NYCRR 375.1. FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations. LAANC authorization is required for flights within BUF Class C or IAG Class D airspace boundaries.

Restricted Airspace

• Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) has Class C airspace with a 5 NM radius surface area and outer shelf extending to 10 NM. The Class C area covers parts of eastern Buffalo, Cheektowaga, Amherst, and Clarence. Commercial drone operations within the BUF Class C lateral boundaries require LAANC authorization. BUF is the busiest commercial airport in Western New York with significant passenger, cargo, and general aviation traffic. Operators in downtown Buffalo are generally outside the Class C surface area but should check the outer shelf boundaries extending westward.
• Niagara Falls International Airport (IAG) has Class D airspace with a 4 NM radius surface area, located approximately 20 NM northwest of downtown Buffalo. The airport shares runways with the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS), which hosts C-130 Hercules aircraft and Air National Guard operations. Military training flights and helicopter operations create additional low-altitude traffic in the Niagara Falls area. Commercial drone operators working in northern Erie County or Niagara County should check IAG Class D boundaries and NOTAMs for military activity.
• The Niagara Falls State Park and Niagara Falls National Heritage Area are managed by the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and the National Park Service. Drone operations are prohibited in Niagara Falls State Park without a special use permit from both state parks (9 NYCRR 375.1) and the Niagara Falls National Heritage Area. The international border with Canada adds additional restrictions — flying a drone across the border into Canadian airspace violates FAA and Transport Canada regulations. CBP and RCMP monitor the border zone actively.
• The Buffalo Outer Harbor and Lake Erie waterfront has moderate helicopter traffic including news, medevac, Coast Guard, and sightseeing helicopters. While not a designated VFR corridor, drone operators flying near the Lake Erie shoreline, Buffalo Harbor State Park, and the Buffalo River should maintain situational awareness of low-altitude helicopter and seaplane traffic. The Buffalo Coast Guard Station maintains active patrols on Lake Erie and the Niagara River.
• Restricted area R-5204 covers portions of the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station training airspace near Niagara Falls. While this is primarily north of Buffalo, commercial operators working on infrastructure projects across the Buffalo-Niagara region should check NOTAMs for R-5204 activations during military training exercises. The alert area A-440 over Lake Erie southwest of Buffalo is used for military training and can affect drone operations near the Lake Erie shoreline.