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Drone Authority

Drone laws by state

Louisiana drone laws

Start with Louisiana's state, local, and land-manager rules. Then use the federal baseline as the floor before you launch.

Primary sources reviewed September 18, 2026State preempts local drone rules
Agricultural drone flying above parallel crop rows, used as regional context for Louisiana drone lawsSTATE · LOUISIANA
All states
By Reviewed September 18, 2026State and agency primary sources checked claim by claim

State answer first

What changes in Louisiana

You can generally fly a drone in Louisiana if you follow the FAA rules and then add the state, local, and land-manager restrictions below.

Federal FAA rules apply across Louisiana, and RS 2:2 makes state law supersede and preempt any local rule, code, or ordinance on unmanned aircraft. RS 14:337 criminalizes drone surveillance of listed targeted facilities and flights over prisons, jails, the Capitol grounds, and the governor's mansion without consent. Wildlife management areas are closed to drones, a narrow deer and bear recovery allowance began with the 2026-2027 season, and state parks allow personal drone use while requiring advance approval for commercial work.2367

Local rules
State preempts local drone rules
Parks and land
Verify each launch site
Airspace
FAA rules still control

Louisiana drone laws at a glance

Can I fly here?Yes, generally. Follow the FAA rules, then add the Louisiana restrictions on this page.
Local ordinancesState preempts local drone rules
State parks & landLouisiana State Parks permits personal drone use with consideration for other guests and requires advance approval from the Assistant Secretary for commercial use. Wildlife management areas are closed to drones under LDWF regulations. Historic sites ask for advance contact.76
License & registrationFederal, same in every state: Part 107 or TRUST, plus registration and Remote ID when the aircraft must be registered.
Where to flyFlying sites, clubs, and FRIAs in Louisiana
Last reviewedSeptember 18, 2026 · claim-level primary sources below

State-specific rules to check

  • 01

    RS 2:2: state law shall supersede and preempt any rule, regulation, code, or ordinance of any political subdivision or other unit of local government on unmanned aircraft systems. The statute carves out federal preemption and listed government, utility, and regulated-industry operations.2

  • 02

    RS 14:337 makes it a crime to intentionally use a drone to surveil, gather information on, or record a targeted facility (refineries, chemical and rubber plants, nuclear plants, schools, critical infrastructure, grain elevators) without the owner's written consent; to fly over the Capitol grounds, the governor's mansion, or any state or local jail, prison, or correctional facility without written consent; or to surveil or interfere with a military installation. FAA-compliant operations, agricultural work, university research, and authorized film production are exempt. Penalties run from a $500 fine to five years at hard labor for the military-installation offense.3

  • 03

    RS 14:283, video voyeurism, expressly covers an unmanned aircraft system equipped with a camera used to observe or record a person without consent for a lewd purpose or where privacy is reasonably expected. It is a felony with sex offender registration on conviction.4

  • 04

    Act 854 of 2026 (HB 940, effective June 8, 2026) enacts RS 14:337.2, the LETS GO! Act, which sets training standards and a joint task force for law enforcement counter-drone mitigation. It governs how officers may intercept drones; it does not add new duties for private pilots.5

  • 05

    LDWF's 2026-2027 hunting regulations: use of drones or unmanned aerial vehicles on wildlife management areas is prohibited. Statewide, a drone may be used only to recover a deer or bear reasonably believed to be mortally wounded, outside legal hunting hours, with neither the pilot nor the hunter in possession of a firearm.6

  • 06

    Louisiana State Parks allows personal drone use at park properties, asks operators to be considerate of other guests and to contact historic sites in advance, and requires advance approval from the Assistant Secretary for any commercial drone use.7

  • 07

    Since August 1, 2026 (Act 289 of 2026, HB 155), the Capitol grounds covered by RS 14:337 include the Capitol Annex, Capitol Gardens, Pentagon Barracks, Veterans Memorial Park and the Old Arsenal Museum grounds, Capitol Lake and its shoreline, A.Z. Young Park, the Claiborne Building, and the state parking garage. Flying there needs written consent from the person in charge of the location.1

Launch-day workflow

Before you fly in Louisiana

Work through these state-specific checks before the usual FAA airspace, weather, aircraft, and crew review.

  1. 01

    Skip the local ordinance search, not the property check

    State law preempts local drone ordinances, but landowner permission, venue rules, and the facilities in RS 14:337 still govern where you can fly.23

  2. 02

    Map targeted facilities and detention sites

    Keep cameras off refineries, chemical plants, schools, grain elevators, and other listed facilities without written consent, and do not overfly any jail, prison, the Capitol grounds, or the governor's mansion.3

  3. 03

    Stay off WMAs and keep recovery narrow

    Drones are prohibited on wildlife management areas. A recovery flight is lawful only for a mortally wounded deer or bear, outside hunting hours, with no firearm on the pilot or hunter.6

  4. 04

    Clear commercial park work in advance

    Personal flights are allowed at state parks; commercial drone use needs the Assistant Secretary's approval first, and historic sites want advance contact.7

Beyond the airspace layer

Land access and wildlife are separate decisions

Managed land

Louisiana State Parks permits personal drone use with consideration for other guests and requires advance approval from the Assistant Secretary for commercial use. Wildlife management areas are closed to drones under LDWF regulations. Historic sites ask for advance contact.76

Compare public-land managers

Wildlife and hunting

LDWF prohibits drones on WMAs and allows a drone only to recover a mortally wounded deer or bear, outside legal hunting hours, with neither pilot nor hunter carrying a firearm. Scouting or driving game by drone is not permitted.6

Read the wildlife guideCheck recovery rules
Local preemptionState preempts local drone rules
A statewide law reserves drone regulation to the state, so cities and counties generally cannot add their own drone ordinances.
Parks and launch sitesCheck the land manager
Louisiana State Parks permits personal drone use with consideration for other guests and requires advance approval from the Assistant Secretary for commercial use. Wildlife management areas are closed to drones under LDWF regulations. Historic sites ask for advance contact.

Primary sources

These sources support the material state claims above. State laws, local park rules, and emergency restrictions can still change faster than a static guide.