Pennsylvania Drone Laws

Prohibits: (1) intentionally or knowingly conducting surveillance of another person in a private place (summary offense, up to $300); (2) operating a drone in a manner that places another person in reasonable fear of bodily injury (summary offense, up to $300); and (3) delivering, providing, transmitting, or furnishing contraband in violation of correctional facility laws (second-degree felony, up to 10 years and $25,000). Exceptions for law enforcement, corrections personnel, firefighters, emergency responders, utilities, and government agencies performing official duties. Also excepted: aerial data collection complying with FAA regulations without knowingly surveilling private places.

Preempts and supersedes any ordinance, resolution, rule, or enactment of any municipality (county, city, borough, township) that regulates the ownership or operation of unmanned aircraft. Exceptions: (1) municipalities may regulate takeoff and landing on city-owned property as a use-of-property rule; (2) Commonwealth agencies (DCNR, Game Commission, Turnpike) may regulate their own land.

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) regulations prohibit unmanned aircraft within Pennsylvania state parks, game lands, and designated natural areas unless specifically authorized by DCNR. Only six state parks allow drone flight in designated areas: Benjamin Rush State Park (Philadelphia), Beltzville State Park (Carbon County), Hillman State Park (Washington County), Lackawanna State Park (Lackawanna County), Prompton State Park (Wayne County), and Tuscarora State Park (Schuylkill County). Special activities agreements available for commercial filming and research (30-day lead time, Part 107 and insurance required). All 1.5 million acres of state game lands remain closed to all drone operations.

Pennsylvania Game Commission prohibits using a drone to locate, drive, harass, or take any game or wildlife. Also prohibits using drones to scout for deer, track wounded or downed deer, or recover dead game. The Game Commission interprets recovery as part of the act of hunting, and drone-assisted recovery is currently illegal. Violations carry summary offenses with fines up to $2,500 and potential loss of hunting license privileges. Senate Bill 303 (pending) would establish a permit-based exception for recovery.

Pennsylvania is an all-party consent state. Recording any oral communication without the consent of all parties being recorded is a violation. Applies to drone-mounted microphones: a drone recording conversations of people on the ground without consent could be prosecuted as a felony. Audio recording is enabled by default on many commercial drones (e.g., DJI). Operators should disable audio in camera settings before flying.

Prohibits invasion of privacy through surveillance. Applied to drones, this covers surveillance of intimate areas or conduct without consent. First conviction is a third-degree misdemeanor; subsequent convictions escalate to second-degree. Drone surveillance of private spaces, changing rooms, or intimate conduct falls within this statute.

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation Drone Permit Requirements

Philadelphia Parks & Recreation requires permits for commercial filming on city-owned property. Philadelphia Code § 10-620 (2017) is widely considered preempted in its direct drone-operation provisions but is not formally repealed. The city enforces authority over takeoff and landing on Fairmount Park and city-run recreation centers. Benjamin Rush State Park is the designated alternative for recreational flight.

Pittsburgh Parks and Allegheny County Parks Permit Requirements

Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy requires written permission for recreational drone flight in regional parks (Schenley, Frick, Riverview, Highland). Allegheny County Parks (North Park, South Park, etc.) requires Special Use permits for drone operations. Property-based restrictions survive municipal preemption.