Aerial Imaging Services in Searcy, 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

Searcy 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 Searcy Parks and Recreation Department for parks and the Searcy Airport Commission for Searcy Municipal Airport property. White County requires aerial imaging documentation for major subdivision and site plan submissions in the unincorporated portions of the county. Searcy Municipal Airport (SRC) requires drone operators within 5 nautical miles to notify the airport manager per FAA Part 107 requirements. Harding University requires authorization from its facilities management office for any commercial drone operations on campus property. The Searcy Planning and Development Department oversees construction site documentation and accepts drone-generated orthomosaic maps and topographic data collection for site plan submissions.

Restricted Airspace

• Searcy Municipal Airport (SRC) is a public-use general aviation airport within the city limits. Drone operations within 5 nautical miles of SRC require notification to the airport manager. The airport has a single runway (Runway 4/22) with a GPS approach. Commercial drone operators should check for traffic pattern activity and avoid approach and departure corridors, especially along the Highway 16/Highway 367 corridor.
• Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT) in Little Rock has Class C airspace extending to approximately 10 nautical miles from the airport center. Searcy is approximately 45 NM northeast of LIT, placing it well outside the Class C surface area. However, the outer Class C shelf at higher altitudes and the enroute IFR corridors along the Little Rock-Searcy Victor Airway may affect high-altitude drone operations. Check LAANC availability for the broader Central Arkansas region.
• Camp Robinson in North Little Rock (approximately 35 NM southwest) has restricted military airspace for National Guard training operations. TFRs for military training can occasionally extend into the approach corridors between Little Rock and Searcy. Check NOTAMs before flying, particularly for operations in the southern portion of Searcy near the White County line.
• Harding University campus and the Searcy city parks system do not have FAA-designated restricted airspace, but commercial drone takeoff and landing on university and city-owned property requires authorization from the Harding University facilities office and the Searcy Parks and Recreation Department respectively.
• The Little Red River and Greers Ferry Lake area to the north of Searcy include US Army Corps of Engineers managed lands. Commercial drone takeoff and landing on Corps property requires a special use permit. The Henry Gray/Hurricane Lake Wildlife Management Area west of Searcy is managed by the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, which requires a commercial activity permit for drone operations on WMA land.