Flying a drone can be a lot of fun but you still need to know what the rules and regulations are regarding drone flight in the area you’ll be in. Washington DC airspace, since this is a capital of the United States, is very restrictive. The surrounding Washington DC area is considered as a Special Flight Rules Area (SFRA).

Let’s look at the aerial map below.

We can see two circles – smaller and a bigger one around Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, which is considered as a center of SFRA area. The inner circle (NFZ) has a radius of 15 miles from DCA, and the outer circle has a radius of 30 miles (SFRA). Also, there is an inner ring within NFZ which has a 7 miles radius.

So, here are the rules:

Rule #1:
Flying within the inner circle (0-7 miles from DCA) is allowed ONLY for government purposes or be supported by the government in some way. This is something that needs to be documented when you apply for permission to FAA to fly your drone there. Additionally, you must hire a law enforcement officer from the jurisdiction where you plan to fly your drone and meet many more other requirements. ANd when I say “many more” I really mean “MANY MORE”. So, flying your drone within 0-7 miles from DCA is technically impossible, even for commercial 107 certified pilots.

Rule #2: Flying within outer ring but within NFZ (7-15 miles from DCA) also requires special FAA approval that could be requested online. Sounds easy, but to obtain the permission you would need to submit a lot of paperwork and it is really hard to impossible to get permission to fly in that airspace. So, for example, if you want to fly your drone in Bethesda, MD you would need to submit a request to FAA and obtain a special permission before flying. Well, flying your drone within 15 mile from DCA is also technically impossible for recreational and possible but not easy to get permission for commercial 107 certified pilots.

Rule #3: Airspace between inner and outer circle (15-30 miles) is still SFRA but it is allowed to fly your drone in that airspace (for both recreational and commercial operations) if you follow the basic rules and meet below conditions:

– Aircraft must weigh less than 55 lbs. (including any attachments such as a camera)
– Aircraft must be registered and marked
– Fly below 400 ft.
– Fly within visual line-of-sight
– Fly in clear weather conditions
– Never fly near other aircraft

In conclusion: flying drones recreationally and commercially is possible only beyond 15 miles from DCA.

Good news for new pilots who just got their DJI drones: your drone will not even start the motors if it determines that you are within 15 miles radius from DCA.

So, always fly responsibly and plan your flight well so that you don’t get in troubles. Remember, that flying in close proximity to the airport requires prior authorization. Flying in National Parks is a BIG NO.

Thank you for reading and safe flying to you all !!!