Aerial Imagery in Traverse City, MI

Airports & LAANC Zones

• TVC — Cherry Capital Airport (Class D airspace, located 2 NM southeast of downtown Traverse City, primary commercial airport for Northwestern Michigan with scheduled airline service and general aviation)
• BLF — Wexford County Airport (Class E airspace, approximately 25 NM south in Cadillac, handles general aviation for the Wexford County area)
• RQP — Frankfort Dow-Field Airport (Class E airspace, approximately 25 NM southwest in Benzie County, small GA facility serving the Lake Michigan shoreline communities)

Restricted Airspace

• Traverse City is under Class D airspace centered on Cherry Capital Airport (TVC), located just southeast of downtown. Commercial drone operators need LAANC authorization for flights within the Class D surface area, which extends approximately 5 NM radius from TVC up to 3,000 feet AGL. The Class D airspace covers most of Traverse City and the surrounding Grand Traverse Bay shoreline. Operators should check the FAA B4UFLY app for specific boundaries and temporary flight restrictions.
• Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, located approximately 20 NM west of Traverse City along the Lake Michigan shoreline, is National Park Service property with restricted drone operations. National Park Service regulations prohibit unauthorized drone flights within national lakeshore boundaries. Commercial operators must obtain a special use permit from the National Park Service for any drone operations within the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. The Manitou Islands are also within the National Lakeshore boundary.
• The Grand Traverse Bay and West Arm shoreline have environmental and recreational considerations. The Boardman River corridor and Grand Traverse Bay waterfront have environmental monitoring demand. Operations near the Traverse City State Park and the Clinch Park beach area should coordinate with the Michigan DNR. The Old Mission Peninsula and the Torch Lake corridor have residential and agricultural considerations for drone operations.
• Traverse City is a major tourist destination with seasonal population surges during the National Cherry Festival in July and the Traverse City Film Festival. Operations during festival periods should coordinate with the Traverse City Police Department and the Grand Traverse County Sheriff. The downtown Front Street commercial district and the Warehouse District have dense retail and residential development requiring privacy considerations.
• The Grand Traverse County Road Commission has an active construction and infrastructure inspection program. The US-31/M-37 corridor and the M-22 scenic highway along the Leelanau Peninsula are major infrastructure assets. The East Bay Shore Road and Garfield Avenue corridors have ongoing residential and commercial development. MDOT Northern Region manages state highway infrastructure in the area.

Local Ordinances

Traverse City operates under the Michigan Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act (Public Act 451 of 2016, MCL 259.301 et seq.) which preempts local regulation of drone flight paths and navigable airspace. The City of Traverse City requires a business license for commercial drone operators. Drone takeoff and landing in city parks and state parks requires coordination with the Traverse City Parks and Recreation Department and the Michigan DNR, including Clinch Park, Bryant Field, and the TART Trail system. Operations near Cherry Capital Airport (TVC) require LAANC authorization through the FAA. Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore requires a special use permit from the National Park Service. Commercial operators should carry minimum $1M liability insurance for aerial imaging projects.