Aerial Imaging Services in Paragould, AR

FAA Part 107 Requirements

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

State Drone Laws

Arkansas regulates drones primarily through Act 819 of 2019 and Ark. Code Ann. § 5-60-130, which prohibits the use of unmanned aircraft to conduct surveillance of a person, place, or thing without consent when a reasonable expectation of privacy exists. The law creates a civil cause of action for persons subjected to unauthorized drone surveillance and restricts law enforcement drone use to require a warrant except in exigent circumstances, search and rescue, and wildfire response. Ark. Code Ann. § 14-361-120 preempts local municipalities from regulating drone flight paths, navigable airspace, or pilot qualifications, though cities may regulate takeoff and landing on public property they own. Arkansas does not require a separate state-level drone license for commercial operators, but all commercial pilots must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. The Arkansas Department of Aviation maintains UAS guidelines and encourages operators to coordinate with the state aviation director for operations near public-use airports. Arkansas state parks require a permit from the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism for commercial drone takeoff and landing. Operators near military installations (Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, Camp Robinson in North Little Rock, Little Rock Air Force Base in Jacksonville) must coordinate with base operations and check for active TFRs. The FAA controls all airspace above 400 feet AGL. Arkansas has no additional state drone registration requirement beyond FAA registration.

Local Ordinances

Paragould operates under Arkansas state drone law (Act 819 of 2019) with local regulations limited by Ark. Code Ann. § 14-361-120, which preempts municipalities from regulating drone flight paths and navigable airspace. The city has no specific municipal drone ordinance beyond state law, but commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned property requires approval from the Paragould Parks and Recreation Department for city parks and the Paragould Airport Commission for Kirk Field property. Greene County requires aerial imaging documentation for major subdivision and site plan submissions in the unincorporated portions of the county. Paragould Municipal Airport (Kirk Field) requires drone operators within 5 nautical miles to notify the airport manager per FAA Part 107 requirements. The Paragould Planning and Development Department oversees construction site documentation and accepts drone-generated orthomosaic maps and topographic data collection for site plan submissions. BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad require operational coordination for any drone flights within 500 feet of active rail lines or yards.

Restricted Airspace

• Paragould Municipal Airport (Kirk Field, M45) is a public-use general aviation airport within the city limits. Drone operations within 5 nautical miles of M45 must notify the airport manager before flying under FAA Part 107. The airport has a single runway (Runway 18/36) with no control tower, so pilots self-announce on CTAF. Commercial drone operators should avoid the traffic pattern and approach corridors, particularly along the extended runway centerline to the north and south of the airport.
• Jonesboro Municipal Airport (JBR) has Class D airspace extending to approximately 4.6 nautical miles from the airport center. Paragould is approximately 15 NM north of JBR, placing the city outside the Class D surface area. However, the Jonesboro Class D shelf at higher altitudes and the instrument approach procedures for Runway 18/36 may affect high-altitude drone operations south of Paragould along the Highway 49 corridor. LAANC is available for the JBR Class D airspace.
• Memphis International Airport (MEM) has Class B airspace approximately 95 NM to the southeast. Paragould is well outside the MEM Class B surface area and shelves, but the enroute IFR corridors along the Memphis-Jonesboro airway can affect transit altitudes. No LAANC requirements from MEM apply to the Paragould area.
• The BNSF Railway intermodal yard and Union Pacific rail lines run through central Paragould. While railroad rights-of-way are not FAA-designated restricted airspace, drone operations near active rail yards require coordination with BNSF and UP dispatch. The Arkansas Department of Transportation requires permits for drone takeoff and landing on state highway right-of-way along Highway 412 and Highway 49.
• Crowley's Ridge State Park, located approximately 8 NM west of Paragould, is managed by the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism. Commercial drone takeoff and landing within the state park requires a special use permit from the park superintendent. The Lake Frierson State Park to the southwest also requires a commercial activity permit for drone operations on park land. The US Army Corps of Engineers manages lands around the St. Francis River and Lake Charles north of Paragould, requiring special use permits for drone takeoff and landing on federal property.