State answer first
What changes in New Hampshire
You can generally fly a drone in New Hampshire if you follow the FAA rules and then add the state, local, and land-manager restrictions below.
Federal FAA rules apply across New Hampshire, and RSA 644:23 makes flying in violation of Part 107 a state offense, along with listed misconduct, from a violation for a first Part 107 breach to felonies for weaponized drones or damaging a crewed aircraft. A 2026 amendment (chapter 6, effective May 19, 2026) limited the federal-rule offense to Part 107 as it stood on July 24, 2025. No statute preempting local drone ordinances was found. Fish and Game bars drones from any role in hunting, and State Parks does not permit takeoff or landing inside park boundaries without a special use permit.143
- Local rules
- Check local city and park rules
- Parks and land
- Verify each launch site
- Airspace
- FAA rules still control
New Hampshire drone laws at a glance
| Can I fly here? | Yes, generally. Follow the FAA rules, then add the New Hampshire restrictions on this page. |
|---|---|
| Local ordinances | Check local city and park rules |
| State parks & land | New Hampshire State Parks restricts drone use at all parks and does not permit takeoff or landing within park boundaries. Commercial or organized activity requires a special use permit ($100 administrative fee, $100 more inside 30 days). Confirm the individual park's posted rules.45 |
| License & registration | Federal, same in every state: Part 107 or TRUST, plus registration and Remote ID when the aircraft must be registered. |
| Where to fly | Flying sites, clubs, and FRIAs in New Hampshire |
| Last reviewed | September 18, 2026 · claim-level primary sources below |
State-specific rules to check
- 01
RSA 644:23 (chapter 278 of 2025, effective January 1, 2026, amended by 2026 chapter 6, SB 49, effective May 19, 2026): flying in violation of 14 C.F.R. part 107, as it stood on July 24, 2025, is a violation, and a misdemeanor on a repeat. Interfering with law enforcement, fire, or emergency response, or violating RSA 644:9 with a drone, is a misdemeanor. Negligently disrupting a crewed aircraft is a class A misdemeanor, rising to a class B felony for damage and a class A felony for a crash causing death or serious injury. Flying in FAA-restricted airspace over a correctional facility is a misdemeanor, and a class B felony to deliver contraband or aid an escape. A weaponized drone is a class B felony. News media following Part 107 and scene directives, bomb squads, and law enforcement officers acting lawfully are exempt.1
- 02
RSA 644:9, violation of privacy, is a class A misdemeanor for installing or using any device to observe, photograph, or record the private body parts of a person, or a person in a private place, without consent. RSA 644:23 makes doing so with a drone a separate misdemeanor.21
- 03
No statewide preemption of local drone ordinances was found in the statutes reviewed; confirm town rules at the launch site.1
- 04
Fis 312.02: no person shall take or attempt to take wildlife by use of a UAV, or use a UAV to locate or surveil wildlife for the purpose of taking it, to communicate wildlife locations to a person on the ground, or to drive or harass wildlife.3
- 05
New Hampshire State Parks: drone use is restricted at all parks and operators are not permitted to take off or land within park boundaries. Commercial or organized use goes through a special use permit with a $100 administrative fee and a $100 expedite fee inside 30 days.45
Launch-day workflow
Before you fly in New Hampshire
Work through these state-specific checks before the usual FAA airspace, weather, aircraft, and crew review.
- 01
Fly to the federal rule, because the state now enforces it
Since May 19, 2026, flying in violation of 14 C.F.R. part 107 (as of July 24, 2025) is a New Hampshire violation, and a misdemeanor on a repeat; keep your certificate, registration, and airspace authorization in order.1
- 02
Stay away from responders, aircraft, and jails
Interference with emergency response or manned aircraft and correctional facility overflight carry the statute's heaviest penalties.1
- 03
Launch and land outside park boundaries
State Parks does not permit takeoff or landing inside a park; organized or commercial use needs a special use permit filed at least 30 days out to avoid the expedite fee.45
- 04
Keep drones out of hunting
Fis 312.02 bars locating, surveilling, relaying, driving, or harassing wildlife by UAV.3
Beyond the airspace layer
Land access and wildlife are separate decisions
Managed land
New Hampshire State Parks restricts drone use at all parks and does not permit takeoff or landing within park boundaries. Commercial or organized activity requires a special use permit ($100 administrative fee, $100 more inside 30 days). Confirm the individual park's posted rules.45
Compare public-land managersWildlife and hunting
Fis 312.02 prohibits taking wildlife by UAV and using a UAV to locate, surveil, or relay the position of wildlife for taking, or to drive or harass wildlife.3
- Local preemptionCheck local city and park rules
- We could not verify a clear statewide preemption posture; assume local rules may apply and verify before flying.
- Parks and launch sitesCheck the land manager
- New Hampshire State Parks restricts drone use at all parks and does not permit takeoff or landing within park boundaries. Commercial or organized activity requires a special use permit ($100 administrative fee, $100 more inside 30 days). Confirm the individual park's posted rules.
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.
- [1]RSA 644:23: unlawful operation or use of small unmanned aircraft system
- [2]RSA 644:9: violation of privacy
- [3]N.H. Code Admin. R. Fis 300 (Fis 312.02, unmanned aerial vehicles)
- [4]New Hampshire State Parks: Echo Lake State Park page, drone restriction statement
- [5]New Hampshire State Parks: special use permits and fees