Iowa Drone Laws

The state or a political subdivision of the state shall not use an unmanned aerial vehicle for traffic law enforcement.

Information obtained as a result of the use of an unmanned aerial vehicle is not admissible as evidence in a criminal or civil proceeding unless the information was obtained pursuant to a search warrant or otherwise obtained in a manner consistent with state and federal law.

A person may not knowingly operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in, on, or above a correctional facility (county jail, municipal holding facility, secure juvenile detention facility, community-based correctional facility, or Department of Corrections institution) or its contiguous grounds unless authorized by a law enforcement agency or with permission from the authority in charge of the facility. Commercial operations in compliance with FAA regulations are exempted.

A person commits invasion of privacy by knowingly viewing, photographing, or filming another person for the purpose of arousing or gratifying sexual desire, when that person does not consent, is in full or partial nudity, and has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Applies to drone cameras used for voyeurism.

Iowa Code § 716.11 defines critical infrastructure as electrical, gas, oil, petroleum, chemical, telecom, broadband, wastewater, and water-supply systems and structures housing them. Section 716.12 makes sabotage of critical infrastructure a Class B felony. While not drone-specific, it applies when a drone is used as an instrument of sabotage. Sabotage requires an overt act intended to cause substantial and widespread interruption of service; mere surveillance or passage over infrastructure does not constitute sabotage.

A person commits intrusion by knowingly flying a drone over a homestead (principal residence plus up to 400 feet of surrounding land outside city limits) they do not own or lease, or flying over a farmstead (property of 40+ acres used for farming and generating $15,000+ in farm-commodity sales annually outside city limits) they do not own or lease and remaining within a secured area of 400 feet surrounding farm animals, farm equipment, or farm structures. Exceptions apply for landowner consent, FAA-compliant commercial or agricultural operations, government and utility operators, flights above 400 feet, and weather/climate data collection.

A person commits surveillance by flying a drone over a homestead or farmstead (as defined in § 715E.3) while carrying a surveillance device (camera, microphone, or sensor capable of identifying persons, farm animals, farm equipment, structures, or land). Penalties escalate when the drone is equipped with surveillance technology. Same exceptions apply as intrusion statute. Property owner may seek court injunction and destruction of unlawfully recorded images.

Iowa Department of Natural Resources hunting regulations explicitly prohibit the use of drones while hunting. Drones are considered aircraft by federal government. Prohibition covers killing, wounding, pursuing, or harassing any animal, fowl, or fish from or with an aircraft or drone in flight. Driving or harassing game with a drone falls within this prohibition on pursuit.