Aerial Imaging Services in Elyria, OH

FAA Part 107 Requirements

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

State Drone Laws

Ohio does not have a comprehensive state-level drone law regulating commercial UAS operations. The state enacted HB 292 (2018) establishing the Ohio Aerospace and Aviation Technology Committee to study UAS integration, and the Ohio Department of Transportation hosts the Ohio UAS Center which promotes safe drone integration into the national airspace system. Ohio does not require a separate state-level drone license or registration for commercial operators beyond FAA requirements. All commercial drone pilots in Ohio must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and follow federal regulations including airspace authorization via LAANC for operations in controlled airspace. Ohio state parks managed by the Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) require a special use permit for commercial drone operations — contact the individual park office for application. Ohio does not have an explicit state preemption clause for local drone regulations, meaning municipalities may enact their own ordinances regulating takeoff and landing on public property. Operators near military installations (Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Camp James A. Garfield Joint Military Training Center in northeast Ohio) must coordinate with base operations and check for active TFRs. The Ohio General Assembly has introduced several UAS-related bills over the years (including SB 255 addressing drone surveillance privacy) but none have been enacted into comprehensive UAS legislation. The FAA controls all airspace above 400 feet AGL. Columbus, Cincinnati, and Cleveland metropolitan areas have extensive Class B and Class C airspace requiring LAANC authorization.

Local Ordinances

The City of Elyria does not have a specific municipal drone ordinance beyond state and federal requirements. Commercial drone operators conducting business within city limits must hold a valid City of Elyria business license. Drone takeoff and landing in Elyria city parks requires coordination with the Elyria Parks and Recreation Department, which manages Cascade Park, Ely Square, and the Black River Reservation. The Lorain County MetroParks system manages the Black River Reservation and other county parks with potentially separate permitting requirements. Operations within CLE Class B airspace in eastern Elyria require LAANC authorization. Operations along the Black River corridor should coordinate with the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District. Commercial operators should carry minimum $1M liability insurance.

Restricted Airspace

• Class B: Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) Class B Airspace. CLE Class B airspace extends up to 10,000 ft MSL with multiple concentric rings. The inner core has a 5 NM radius surface area, and the outer shelf extends 10 NM from 2,500 ft AGL to 10,000 ft MSL. Eastern Elyria and the I-90/I-480 corridor near the Cuyahoga County border may fall within the outer rings of the Class B airspace. Commercial drone operators in eastern Elyria should check LAANC grid squares before flight. Cleveland Hopkins handles over 9 million passengers annually with significant commercial and cargo traffic.
• Infrastructure: Black River / West Branch River Corridor Infrastructure. Elyria sits at the confluence of the Black River and its West Branch. The river corridors have extensive flood control infrastructure including the Elyria Cascade Hydroelectric dam, bridge crossings, and the Black River Reservation MetroParks trail system. The US Army Corps of Engineers and the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District conduct regular data collection projects of the river corridor infrastructure. The Black River has undergone extensive environmental remediation through the Great Lakes Areas of Concern program, with brownfield redevelopment sites along the waterfront. Bridge infrastructure over the Black River on US-20, SR-57, and local roads requires periodic aerial inspection.
• Infrastructure: I-90 / I-80 / SR-57 / US-20 Highway Corridor. I-90 runs east-west approximately 3 NM north of Elyria connecting to Cleveland and Toledo. The Ohio Turnpike (I-80) runs east-west approximately 5 NM south. SR-57 is the primary north-south route through the city connecting I-90 to I-80. US-20 (Broad Street) runs through downtown. ODOT has an active drone bridge inspection program for the I-90, SR-57, and US-20 crossings over the Black River and its tributaries. The CSX and Norfolk Southern railway lines through Elyria have grade crossings and bridge infrastructure requiring periodic inspection.
• Special Use: Perry Nuclear Power Plant Proximity. The Perry Nuclear Power Plant is located approximately 30 NM east of Elyria in Lake County. Nuclear facilities have permanent flight restrictions under federal law. While Perry is beyond typical drone operating range from Elyria, operators working in eastern Lorain County or Lake County should be aware of the restricted airspace around the plant. Always check FAA sectional charts for TFRs near critical infrastructure. The proximity of Elyria to the Cleveland metro also means operators should be aware of stadium TFRs during Browns games at FirstEnergy Stadium and Guardians games at Progressive Field.