Drone Laws in Connecticut (2026)

Connecticut Drone Regulations

 

Federal Drone Laws in Connecticut

These are drone laws that apply to every state in the U.S., including Connecticut, and were created by the federal government.

To fly a drone as a commercial pilot in the state of Connecticut (i.e. for work / business purposes) you are required to follow the requirements of the FAA’s Part 107 Small UAS Rule (Part 107), which includes passing the FAA’s Aeronautical Knowledge Test to obtain a Remote Pilot Certificate.

To fly a drone as a hobbyist in the state of Connecticut (i.e. for fun / pleasure) you are required by the FAA to take The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). You are also required to follow the FAA’s recreational model aircraft rules. One of those rules is that if your drone weighs more than 0.55 lbs (250g), you’ll need to pay $5 to get it registered. There are additional rules when it comes to airspace and altitude, keeping your drone within line-of-sight while you’re flying, and more.
To fly a drone as a government employee in the state of Connecticut (i.e., for a police or fire department) you may either operate under the FAA’s Part 107 rule or obtain a federal Certificate of Authorization (COA).

Note: The content on this page is meant for informational purposes only, and is not meant to take the place of legal counsel.

State Drone Laws in Connecticut

These are drone laws that apply to the entire state of Connecticut, and were created by the Connecticut General Assembly.

HB 7066 // 2025

Signed into law in 2025, this bill introduced the following new statewide drone restrictions:

• Chinese & Russian Drone Ban:

  • As of October 1, 2026, Connecticut state agencies may not purchase drones manufactured by countries on the federal “covered entity” list (currently includes China and Russia).

  • As of October 1, 2028, those agencies may no longer operate these drones.

• Weaponization Ban:

  • The law explicitly prohibits attaching any kind of weapon to a drone (already prohibited under federal law, but now duplicated at the state level).

• Flight Restrictions Around Critical Infrastructure:

  • Recreational drone pilots may not fly below 250 feet or within 100 feet of defined “critical infrastructure,” which includes facilities like dams, pipelines, power plants, communication facilities, harbors, television/radio stations, and reservoirs.

  • The law also prohibits using drones to conduct surveillance, photos, or video of these locations without prior permission.

Note on Federal Preemption:

Many of these new restrictions are controversial and may not hold up in court since the FAA has exclusive authority over the National Airspace System. However, as of now, these laws are on the books in Connecticut.

SB 975 // 2017

This law prohibits Connecticut municipalities from regulating drones, but it does allow a municipality that is also a water company to enact ordinances that regulate or prohibit the use or operation of UAS over the municipality’s public water supply and land.

DEEP §23-4-1 // 2017

And according to the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, the use of drones is prohibited at Connecticut State Parks, State Forests or other lands under the control of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, unless specifically authorized by the Commissioner in a Special Use License.

All drone pilots operating commercially in the state of Connecticut are subject to the FAA’s Part 107 rules. Learn more about the FAA’s certification process to obtain a commercial drone license in this free guide.

Know something we don’t about drone laws in Connecticut? Send us an email at support[at]uavcoach[dot]com. We do our best to keep this list up-to-date, but the reality is that given the pace of the small unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how municipal governments are responding, drone regulations in Connecticut can change throughout the year, and changes can be hard to track.  If we missed something, please reach out to let us know.

Why fly a drone in Connecticut? To get great shots like these!

Local Drone Laws in Connecticut

These are drone laws that apply only to certain regions, cities, or counties within the state of Connecticut and were created by various authorities within the state.

Town of Greenwich—Municipal Code // 1983

This ordinance prohibits the possession/operation of a drone within any park unless the operation has been authorized by the Director.

Want to get a feel for the kind of footage you could get flying a drone in Connecticut? Here you go: