Drone Laws in Hawaii (2025)

Hawaii Drone Regulations

 

Federal Drone Laws in Hawaii

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

To fly a drone as a commercial pilot in the state of Hawaii (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 Hawaii (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 Hawaii (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 Hawaii

These are drone laws that apply to the entire state of Hawaii, and were created by the Hawaii State Legislature.

According to the Hawaii Department of Transportation and the Hawaii State Legislature, Hawaii has one state-wide law concerning the use of drones in the state.

SB 661 // 2015

This law creates a chief operating officer position for the Hawaii UAS test site. This law also establishes an unmanned aerial systems test site advisory board to plan and oversee test site development and appropriates funds to establish the test site.

All drone pilots operating commercially in the state of Hawaii 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 Hawaii? 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 Hawaii 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 Hawaii? To get great shots like these!

Local Drone Laws in Hawaii

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

Dept of Land and Natural Resources//Division of State Parks

This rule states that the use, launching, or landing of drones or other types of aircraft is prohibited in any of Hawaii’s state parks.

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