Aerial Imaging Services in Yonkers, 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

Yonkers is governed by New York state drone law (NY Penal Law 250.55) and is subject to the broader NYC metro airspace restrictions managed by the FAA. The City of Yonkers does not have a specific municipal drone ordinance as of 2026, but commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned property — including parks, municipal buildings, and the Yonkers waterfront — requires authorization from the Yonkers Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation. The Yonkers Greenway trail and Hudson River waterfront promenade are managed by the city and require coordination for commercial drone operations. Westchester County parks within or adjacent to Yonkers (including Tibbetts Brook Park and Sprain Lake Park) require a commercial use permit from the Westchester County Parks Department under county regulations. Commercial drone filming for movies, TV, or advertising in Yonkers requires a film permit from the Westchester County Film Office and coordination with the Yonkers Police Department. The New York State Office of Parks requires a permit for drone operations in state parks and historic sites under 9 NYCRR 375.1. NYC Local Law 152 of 2024 applies if operations extend into the Bronx (NYC boundary is the Yonkers-Bronx city line). FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations. LAANC authorization is required for flights within Class B airspace boundaries over Yonkers.

Restricted Airspace

• The entire New York City metro area is under Class B airspace (New York Class B), which overlays Yonkers at altitudes starting as low as 4,000 feet MSL with lower shelves near the Hudson River corridor. Commercial drone operations in Yonkers below 400 feet AGL are generally permissible under FAA Part 107, but any flight requiring altitude waivers or operating near the Hudson River visual flight rule (VFR) corridor requires coordination with New York TRACON (N90). LAANC authorization is available for the Class B shelf areas surrounding LGA, JFK, and EWR. Operators must check the FAA B4UFLY app for specific shelf boundaries over Yonkers.
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Class B airspace extends northward over the western Bronx and southern Yonkers. The LGA Class B surface area has a 5 NM radius, and its outer shelves extend over portions of southern Yonkers. Any drone operation within the LGA Class B lateral boundaries requires LAANC authorization. JFK and EWR Class B areas are further south but still affect the broader NYC airspace management.
• Westchester County Airport (HPN) is located approximately 12 NM northeast in White Plains and has Class D airspace with a 4.5 NM radius surface area. While Yonkers is generally outside the HPN Class D surface area, commercial operators in northeast Yonkers near the Yonkers-Bronxville border should check airspace boundaries. HPN is one of the busiest corporate aviation airports in the Northeast, with heavy helicopter and business jet traffic.
• Teterboro Airport (TEB) in New Jersey has Class D airspace that affects drone operators in western Yonkers near the Hudson River. TEB is a major corporate aviation airport with very high traffic volume, and its approach/departure corridors cross over the Hudson River and western Yonkers at low altitudes. Commercial drone operators near the Hudson River waterfront in Yonkers should coordinate with TEB tower for flights within the Class D area.
• The Hudson River VFR Corridor runs along the western edge of Yonkers and is a high-traffic flyway for helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and news/traffic helicopters. While the corridor itself is at 500-1,500 feet AGL (above the Part 107 400-foot ceiling), drone operators flying near the Hudson River waterfront should maintain situational awareness of low-altitude helicopter traffic, especially NYPD, news, sightseeing, and medevac helicopters that frequently transit the corridor.
• West Point Military Reservation (United States Military Academy) is located approximately 30 NM north of Yonkers. While not affecting Yonkers airspace directly, the restricted area R-5302A/B over West Point can affect drone operations in the northern Hudson Valley. Commercial operators traveling to projects in the broader Westchester/Rockland region should check NOTAMs for West Point TFRs during military exercises or VIP visits.