Aerial Imaging Services in White Plains, NY

FAA Part 107 Requirements

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

State Drone Laws

New York regulates drone operations through a combination of criminal surveillance statutes, state park rules, and local ordinances. New York Penal Law 250.55 (amended 2023) classifies unlawful surveillance conducted via unmanned aerial vehicle as a Class E felony, prohibiting the use of drones to capture images of individuals in private settings without consent. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation requires a commercial use permit under 9 NYCRR 375.1 for drone operations in all state parks and historic sites. New York does not require a separate state-level commercial drone license or registration, but all commercial operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and register their aircraft with the FAA. New York City has additional local restrictions — Local Law 152 of 2024 requires permits for commercial drone filming on city property and within certain NYC parks. Westchester County parks require a permit from the Westchester County Parks Department. The state does not broadly preempt local municipalities, meaning individual cities and towns may enact their own drone ordinances governing takeoff, landing, and operation on public property. Commercial operators near military installations (West Point Military Reservation, Watervliet Arsenal, Stewart Air National Guard Base) must coordinate with base operations and check NOTAMs. The FAA controls all airspace above 400 feet AGL and LAANC authorization is available for Class B and C airspace across the NYC metro region.

Local Ordinances

White Plains is governed by New York state drone law (NY Penal Law 250.55) and FAA Part 107 regulations. The City of White Plains 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 White Plains Department of Recreation and Parks. City parks including Delfino Park, Gardella Park, Liberty Park, and the Bronx River Parkway reservation require explicit permission for commercial drone operations. The White Plains downtown business district and the Galleria at White Plains area are mixed-use zones where commercial drone operations require coordination with property owners and the White Plains Building Department. Westchester County parks (including Tibbetts Brook Park and the Bronx River Parkway reservation within White Plains) require a commercial use permit from the Westchester County Parks Department. Commercial drone filming for movies, TV, or advertising requires a film permit from the Westchester County Film Office and coordination with the White Plains Police Department. New York State parks require a permit under 9 NYCRR 375.1. FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations. LAANC authorization is required for flights within HPN Class D airspace, which covers most of White Plains.

Restricted Airspace

• Westchester County Airport (HPN) has Class D airspace with a 4.5 NM radius surface area. The airport is located within White Plains city limits, meaning most of the city falls within the HPN Class D lateral boundaries. Commercial drone operations within the HPN Class D require LAANC authorization. HPN is one of the busiest corporate aviation airports in the Northeast, with heavy business jet, turboprop, and helicopter traffic. The airport is a major base for corporate flight departments serving Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Westchester County, including PepsiCo, IBM, Mastercard, and Regeneron. Drone operators in White Plains should expect frequent low-altitude helicopter and jet traffic.
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Class B airspace is approximately 18 NM south. The LGA Class B surface area has a 5 NM radius and outer shelves extending northward over the Bronx and southern Westchester. While White Plains is generally outside the LGA Class B surface area, the outer shelves may extend over southern White Plains. Commercial drone operators should check the FAA B4UFLY app for LGA Class B shelf boundaries. LAANC authorization is required for any flight within the LGA Class B lateral boundaries.
• The I-287 corridor and the Westchester County Center area have frequent helicopter traffic including corporate shuttles, news, medevac, and State Police helicopters. The Westchester County Airport is a major helicopter base, and flight corridors extend along the I-287, the Hutchinson River Parkway, and the Bronx River Parkway. Drone operators flying near downtown White Plains, the County Center, and the highway interchange should maintain situational awareness of low-altitude helicopter traffic at all altitudes below 500 feet.
• The Bronx River Parkway reservation and the Tibbetts Brook Park area are managed by Westchester County Parks and have moderate helicopter and small aircraft traffic. The Saw Mill River Parkway corridor and the Bronx River Greenway trail run through White Plains and are managed by multiple agencies. Commercial drone operations over these park corridors require authorization from the Westchester County Parks Department and awareness of low-altitude helicopter traffic using the parkway corridors as visual flight routes.
• White Plains is approximately 35 NM south of West Point Military Reservation (United States Military Academy). While restricted area R-5302A/B over West Point does not directly affect White Plains airspace, commercial operators traveling to projects in the broader Hudson Valley region should check NOTAMs for West Point TFRs during military exercises or VIP visits. The Stewart Air National Guard Base at Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, approximately 35 NM north, has military operations areas that can affect northern Westchester airspace.