Aerial Imaging Services in Sioux Falls, SD

FAA Part 107 Requirements

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

State Drone Laws

South Dakota does not have comprehensive state-level drone legislation for commercial operations. Commercial drone operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and comply with all federal regulations. South Dakota Codified Law § 50-6-14 (enacted 2014) prohibits law enforcement agencies from using drones to gather evidence or conduct surveillance without a search warrant, with exceptions for emergency situations, border patrol, and national security. This law applies to government drone use, not commercial operations, but sets a privacy framework that commercial operators should respect. The South Dakota Department of Transportation and the South Dakota Aeronautics Commission defer to FAA authority for commercial drone airspace regulation. There is no state drone registration requirement beyond the FAA Part 107 registration. Local municipalities may regulate takeoff and landing on public property. The South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department prohibits drone operations in state parks without a special use permit. Commercial operators should check for local city and county ordinances regarding public property restrictions, especially near parks, schools, and government facilities.

Local Ordinances

Sioux Falls does not have a comprehensive city-specific drone ordinance, relying on FAA Part 107 regulations and South Dakota state law. Commercial drone operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. The Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department requires authorization for commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned park property, including Falls Park, Spencer Park, McKennan Park, Terrace Park, and the River Greenway trail system. Operations near Sioux Falls Regional Airport (FSD) require LAANC authorization for the Class C surface area within 5 NM of the airport. The South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing at FSD shares facilities with the commercial airport, requiring additional coordination for military aviation awareness. South Dakota Codified Law § 50-6-14 prohibits drone surveillance by law enforcement without a warrant — commercial operators should respect the privacy framework this law establishes. The river corridor through the city has spring flood-season TFR zones that require monitoring via the FAA B4UFLY app. Sioux Falls municipal code prohibits drone operations over the Sioux Falls Zoo and the Washington Pavilion event venue without prior authorization.

Restricted Airspace

• Sioux Falls Regional Airport / Joe Foss Field (FSD) has Class C airspace extending from the surface to 4,200 feet MSL within 5 nautical miles of the airport, with an outer circle from 1,200 feet AGL to 4,200 feet MSL extending to 10 NM. LAANC authorization is required for commercial drone operations within the FSD Class C surface area. FSD is the busiest commercial airport in South Dakota, handling approximately 500,000 passengers annually with commercial airline service from American, Delta, United, and Allegiant. Drone operators must use the FAA B4UFLY app or approved LAANC providers (Aloft, AirMap) for authorization before flying within the Class C surface area. FSD air traffic control tower frequency is 119.05 MHz. The airport is named after World War II Medal of Honor recipient and South Dakota Governor Joe Foss, and shares facilities with the South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing, which operates F-16 fighters, creating additional military aviation traffic awareness requirements.
• The South Dakota Air National Guard 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field operates F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft for air defense missions. The base has military operating areas and restricted airspace associated with fighter operations. Commercial drone operators should be aware of military jet traffic patterns near the airport, especially on approach and departure corridors. The 114th Wing conducts regular training flights, and drone operators conducting aerial mapping work near the airport perimeter and along military approach/departure corridors should monitor aviation frequencies (122.9 MHz for unmanned ops, 119.05 MHz for FSD tower) and coordinate with air traffic control when operating near the base. Military training routes may extend southwest toward the Ellsworth Air Force Base corridor near Rapid City.
• The Big Sioux River corridor through Sioux Falls is a sensitive environmental and recreational corridor with Falls Park (the city's namesake waterfalls), levees, and the River Greenway trail system under active management by the US Army Corps of Engineers and Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation. During spring flood season (typically March through May), emergency helicopter operations and aerial flood monitoring create temporary flight restriction (TFR) zones. FAA Part 107 prohibits flying directly over non-participants, and the River Greenway trail system through Sioux Falls (including Falls Park, Spencer Park, and the bike trail system) attracts heavy pedestrian and cyclist traffic. Drone operators conducting aerial mapping work along the river corridor should maintain altitude awareness, coordinate with Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation, and avoid flights during emergency flood response operations.
• Sanford USD Medical Center and Avera McKennan Hospital campuses have helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations. Both hospital systems operate air ambulance helicopter services with rooftop and ground-level helipads. Drone operators should maintain awareness of HEMS flight corridors, especially during emergency medical calls. The FAA requires drone operators to yield right-of-way to all manned aircraft, including emergency helicopters. Commercial drone aerial imaging work near hospital campuses — including Sanford USD Medical Center at 1305 W 18th St and Avera McKennan at 1320 S Cliff Ave — should coordinate with hospital facilities management and monitor aviation radio frequencies (122.9 MHz) for HEMS activity. Sanford Health, headquartered in Sioux Falls, is one of the largest healthcare systems in the country and operates a extensive air ambulance network across the upper Midwest.
• Ellsworth Air Force Base, located 250 miles west near Rapid City, operates B-1B Lancer bombers and has extensive restricted airspace (R-3901) and military operating areas across western South Dakota. While this restricted airspace does not directly impact Sioux Falls drone operations, the military training routes from Ellsworth can extend across central South Dakota. Commercial drone operators conducting aerial mapping work along the I-90 corridor between Sioux Falls and Rapid City should check NOTAMs for military training route activity. Ellsworth is also home to the 28th Bomb Wing and the new B-21 Raider program, with increasing military airspace activity expected as the B-21 becomes operational. Always check the FAA B4UFLY app and NOTAMs before flying in the western South Dakota corridor.