Aerial Imaging Services in Middletown, 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 Middletown 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 Middletown business license. Drone takeoff and landing in Middletown city parks requires coordination with the Middletown Parks and Recreation Department, which manages Smith Park, Weatherwax Park, and the Great Miami River corridor trail system. The MetroParks of Butler County system manages regional parks including Sebald Park and Rentschler Forest with potentially separate permitting requirements. Operations within HAO Class D airspace in southern Middletown require LAANC authorization. Operations near the Cleveland-Cliffs steel plant should coordinate with facility security. Commercial operators should carry minimum $1M liability insurance.

Restricted Airspace

• Class B: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) Class B Airspace. CVG Class B airspace extends up to 10,000 ft MSL with multiple concentric rings. The surface area has a 5 NM radius, and the outer shelves extend up to 15 NM from 1,500 ft AGL to 10,000 ft MSL. Middletown is approximately 25 NM north of CVG and is generally outside the Class B surface area, but higher-altitude operations should check the outer shelf boundaries on the FAA sectional chart. CVG handles over 9 million passengers and significant cargo operations including Amazon Air and DHL.
• Class D: Butler County Regional Airport (HAO) Surface Area. HAO Class D airspace extends approximately 4 NM from the airport up to 2,600 ft MSL. The airport is located approximately 8 NM south of Middletown in Hamilton. Southern Middletown and the I-75 corridor toward Hamilton may fall within the outer edges of the HAO Class D airspace. Commercial drone operators in southern Middletown should check LAANC grid squares before flight. The airport handles corporate and general aviation traffic for the Butler County business community.
• Class C: Dayton International Airport (DAY) Class C Airspace. DAY Class C airspace has a 5 NM core surface area up to 5,000 ft MSL and a 10 NM outer shelf from 1,200 ft AGL to 5,000 ft MSL. The airport is located approximately 20 NM north of Middletown. Northern Middletown and the I-75 corridor toward Dayton may fall within the outer shelf of the Class C airspace at higher altitudes. Commercial drone operators in northern Middletown should check LAANC grid squares. Dayton International handles over 3 million passengers annually.
• Infrastructure: I-75 / SR-122 / Great Miami River Infrastructure. Middletown sits along I-75, the major freight corridor connecting Cincinnati and Dayton. The Great Miami River flows through the city, and the river crossing bridges on I-75, SR-122, and local roads are critical infrastructure requiring periodic inspection. ODOT has an active drone bridge inspection program. The Miami Conservancy District flood control infrastructure along the Great Miami River is unique to the region. The historic Miami-Erie Canal corridor through Middletown has industrial heritage infrastructure. The AK Steel / Cleveland-Cliffs steel plant is a major industrial facility with extensive infrastructure requiring aerial inspection.