Environmental Monitoring in Portsmouth, NH

Airports & LAANC Zones

• PSM — Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (Class C airspace, located 3 miles west of downtown Portsmouth at the former Pease Air Force Base — commercial, cargo, and Pease Air National Guard KC-46A Pegasus operations; LAANC available)
• PWM — Portland International Jetport (Class D airspace, 50 NM north in Portland, ME — Maine largest commercial airport; LAANC available)
• BOS — Boston Logan International Airport (Class B airspace, 50 NM south — BOS Class B outer area extends into coastal NH; LAANC required for Class B shelf areas)
• CON — Concord Municipal Airport (Class D airspace, 50 NM west in Concord — GA and corporate; LAANC available)

Restricted Airspace

• Portsmouth International Airport at Pease (PSM) has Class C airspace with a 5 NM radius surface area from the surface up to 4,000 feet AGL, and an outer area extending from 10-20 NM. PSM is located just 3 miles west of downtown Portsmouth at the former Pease Air Force Base. Most of Portsmouth falls within or near the PSM Class C boundary. Pease Air National Guard operates KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tankers from PSM, creating significant military flight operations. Commercial drone operators must obtain LAANC authorization before flying within the PSM Class C area. Check NOTAMs for active military TFRs before every flight.
• Pease Air National Guard Base at PSM conducts KC-46A Pegasus aerial refueling tanker operations, military training flights, and occasional TFRs along the New Hampshire seacoast. Military flight operations create intermittent MOA and TFR activity. While Portsmouth downtown is within the PSM Class C civilian-military shared airspace, operators should be especially vigilant for military traffic during weekday training hours. The New Hampshire National Guard and visiting military aircraft from other bases use the PSM runway and ramp. Check NOTAMs via FAA B4UFLY before every commercial operation.
• Portsmouth Naval Shipyard is located 1 mile northeast of Portsmouth on Seavey Island in Kittery, Maine, across the Piscataqua River. The shipyard performs nuclear submarine maintenance and overhaul for the U.S. Navy. While the shipyard itself is in Maine, the airspace directly above and around the Piscataqua River estuary has security sensitivities. Commercial drone operators should avoid flying near the shipyard perimeter, as the Navy restricts photography and surveillance of nuclear submarine facilities. FAA Part 107.39 prohibits operations over non-participants, and the Navy may report suspicious drone activity to federal authorities.
• The Piscataqua River corridor and Portsmouth Harbor are popular for commercial drone photography, but operators must maintain visual line of sight and comply with FAA Part 107.39. The harbor has active commercial shipping, recreational boats, fishing vessels, and the Isles of Shoals ferry traffic. The Memorial Bridge and Sarah Mildred Long Bridge connecting Portsmouth to Kittery, ME have active vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Prescott Park, the historic downtown district, and the Strawbery Banke Museum area have pedestrian traffic requiring Part 107.39 compliance. Commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned property requires authorization from the Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Department.
• The Isles of Shoals, located 6 miles offshore, are within the PSM Class C outer area. Commercial drone operations over the ocean require Coast Guard awareness, and the islands have restricted wildlife areas during seabird nesting season (April-August). The New Hampshire coastline is narrow (only 13 miles long) and the Rye Harbor and Hampton Beach areas to the south have seasonal recreational traffic. The Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, located 5 miles inland, restricts drone operations during wildlife nesting seasons per NH Fish and Game regulations.

Local Ordinances

Portsmouth is governed by New Hampshire state drone regulations (RSA 207:37-39) and FAA Part 107. The City of Portsmouth 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 Portsmouth Parks and Recreation Department. Portsmouth city parks including Prescott Park, Four Tree Island, and Peirce Island require explicit permission for commercial drone operations. The historic downtown district and Strawbery Banke Museum are regulated by the Portsmouth Historic Commission for commercial drone filming. Commercial drone filming for movies, TV, or advertising requires coordination with the New Hampshire Film Bureau and Portsmouth Police Department. The Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, located across the Piscataqua River in Kittery, ME, is a secure federal facility — operators should avoid flying near the shipyard perimeter. FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations. LAANC authorization is required for flights within the PSM Class C airspace boundary. The Pease Development Authority manages the Pease International Tradeport campus and requires coordination for drone operations on Pease property.