Can You Fly A Drone In Los Angeles: All You Need To Know

Los Angeles is one of the best places in the US and the world for taking photos. The Hollywood sign, Santa Monica Pier, the list goes in. It’s GTA in real life after all!

Being such a beautiful city, many people want to capture its beauty from above, leading to the question, “Can you fly a drone in Los Angeles?”

We asked Josh from A Backpacker’s World to create this helpful guide for flying your drone in LA.

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Table Of Contents

So, Can You Fly A Drone In Los Angeles?

To put it briefly, yes, flying a drone in Los Angeles is allowed and is legal. Make sure to read on and be aware of the rules as a drone operator to prevent any fines or having your drone confiscated.

Check prices for a DJI drone that has Ocusync Transmission, Flight Autonomy with Redundant Sensors.

Being able to fly a drone in LA is great news for any drone owners out there! The city is amazing, just imagine how it would look from the sky!

Getting Your Drone Into California

You should be able to get your drone into California with no issues. The same with getting a drone into the US itself. It’s very easy compared to other countries like Turkey where you have to register a drone before bringing it into the country.

However, please be aware of your airline’s regulations around lithium batteries. Some airlines require these to be in hand luggage, some require them in checked luggage and some have banned them completely. Please check your airline’s policies before flying.

Do You Need A License To Fly Your Drone In Los Angeles?

Los Angeles falls under the jurisdiction of California’s state laws which states that you can fly a drone without a Californian-specific license.

However, federal law, covering the whole of the United States, requires you to undertake the Recreational UAS Safety Test (known as the TRUST test).

It’s a relatively simple test but is required to fly a drone anywhere in the US. This covers you for recreational flights.

If you will be flying a drone for commercial purposes, such as surveying and mapping, you need to complete a further test to get a commercial license.

The Part 107 License is a more difficult test but is required to legally fly a drone commercially.

Rules For Flying A Drone In Los Angeles

If you are flying a drone in Los Angeles, you must comply with the rules. There are federal, state and Los Angeles-specific rules to follow.

The federal laws come from the FAA and we advise reading their full guide here. For your ease and convenience, we have compiled these into one list of rules which you should follow:

Avoid large crowds of people
Respect the privacy of others while flying a drone
Only fly during the daytime
Only fly during good weather conditions
Keep a direct line of sight with your drone
Do not fly over 400 feet (roughly 120 meters)
Do not fly faster than 100mph (roughly 160 km/hr)

It is also advised to have insurance to cover your drone, but this is not a legal requirement.

Of course, do not fly close to airports, prisons, military bases, police stations, etc. The general rule that applies everywhere applies as well to Los Angeles.

Make sure to follow the rules as breaking the rules can lead to up to 6 months in jail with fines of up to $50,000.

On top of these no-fly zones, Los Angeles also does not allow you to fly a drone near the Hollywood sign, and they also are banned in Griffith Park.

Best Places To Fly A Drone In Los Angeles

Rest assured, there are still plenty of amazing places to fly a drone in LA, even without the infamous Hollywood Sign. Here is a list of our 5 favorite places to capture Los Angeles as the bird sees it:

1. Santa Monica Pier

Santa Monica Pier is astounding. Everyone’s seen the pictures- it’s incredible and definitely lives up to the hype surrounding it! Now imagine the beauty but from above. It makes for an incredible place to fly a drone in LA, and is definitely one of the must-dos!

2. Hollywood Hills

Despite not being allowed anywhere near the sign, you can still capture some amazing shots from the hills themself!

The houses, along with the natural side of the hills, make for some amazing drone content. Words can only describe so much how amazing it is to capture LA on a drone.

We highly recommend the DJI drone to fly over Los Angeles.

3. Silver Lake Meadows

This pretty area of LA can make some fairytale-esque drone footage. The picturesque reservoir and surrounding area show up really well on camera, and even better on a drone.

4. MacArthur Park

This one is more for the backdrop than the location itself. From MacArthur Park, you get a view of the lake and park, but the main attraction is the unbelievable Los Angeles skyline in the background. It shows off the beauty of the city in such a unique way and is a great spot for drone footage.

5. Lake Hollywood

It’s a pretty lake and a pretty dam with pretty surroundings. You have a drone and can capture it all in some pretty footage. What more can you ask for, right?

Need a car to get to these places? Here’s all you need to know about renting a car in Los Angeles.

Final Thoughts

There it is! A complete guide to “Can you fly a drone in Los Angeles?” We hope you leave feeling confident about the rules and regulations required to fly a drone in LA, and with some great ideas on where to capture the best drone footage in Los Angeles. So get out there and start capturing The City of Angels from the angels’ point of view!