Do Drones Have To.be Registered In Michigan?

Michigan Drone Regulations

Federal Drone Laws in Michigan

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

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

To fly a drone every bit a hobbyist in the state of Michigan(i.e. for fun / pleasure) you lot are required past the FAA to accept The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST). You lot are likewise required to follow the FAA's recreational model aircraft rules. One of those rules is that if your drone weighs more than than 0.55 lbs (250g), you'll need to pay $five to go it registered. There are additional rules when information technology comes to airspace and altitude, keeping your drone within line-of-sight while you're flying, and more.

To fly a drone as a regime employee in the land of Michigan (i.e., for a police or fire department) you may either operate under the FAA's Role 107 dominion or obtain a federal Certificate of Authorization (COA).

Annotation: The content on this folio is meant for advisory purposes only, and is not meant to take the place of legal counsel.

State Drone Laws in Michigan

These are drone laws that apply to the entire land of Michigan, and were created by the Michigan Legislature.

Co-ordinate to the Michigan Department of Transportation and the Michigan Legislature, Michigan has 2 state-wide laws concerning the use of drones in the state.

SB 992 // 2016

This law:

Prohibits local governments from regulating UAS, except when the regulated drone belongs to the locality.
Specifically allows commercial drone functioning in the country if the operator is authorized by the FAA to operate commercially, and permits hobby performance so long as the operator complies with federal constabulary.
Prohibits using a drone in a way that interferes with emergency personnel and prohibits the utilise of a drone to harass an individual, to violate a restraining order, or to capture images in a way that invades an private's reasonable expectation of privacy.
Prohibits sex offenders from using a drone to follow, contact, or photograph a person that they are prohibited from contacting.

Anyone who uses a drone in a manner prohibited by this law is guilty of a misdemeanor.

SB 54 // 2015

This law prohibits using UAS to interfere with or harass an individual who is hunting.

Gild five.1 Land Parks and Recreation Areas // 2019

This police force Prohibits:

The performance of an unmanned aircraft that knowingly and intentionally interferes with section employees and their designees performing official duties.
The operation of an unmanned aircraft that interferes with search and rescue operations.
Flying within 100 yards of a cultural or historical site/structure.
Flying over an occupied beach surface area, equestrian facility, restroom, open-changing courtroom, or an surface area subject to an aeriform right-of-way.
Commercial operations that take not been authorized ahead of time through written permission from an authorized representative of the department.

All drone pilots operating commercially in the country of Michigan are subject to the FAA's Role 107 rules. Learn more well-nigh the FAA'due south certification process to obtain a commercial drone license in this free guide.

Know something we don't about drone laws in Michigan? Send the states an email at support[at]uavcoach[dot]com. We do our best to keep this list upwardly-to-date, just the reality is that given the pace of the minor unmanned aerial system (sUAS) industry and how municipal governments are responding, drone regulations in Michigan can modify throughout the year, and changes tin can be difficult to track. If we missed something, delight reach out to allow us know.

flying a drone in Michigan
Why wing a drone in Michigan? To get great shots like these!

Local Drone Laws in Michigan

These are drone laws that utilise only to certain regions, cities, or counties within the country of Michigan, and were created by various regime within the country.

Town of Westward Bloomfield—Municipal Ordinance // 2016

This city ordinance establishes all town parks equally no-fly zones.

The Univerity of Michigan—University Policy // 2017

This University ordiance prohibits the functioning of drones over any University of Michigan campus of property, except when prior authorization as been granted through an awarding process which is reviewed by the IASC and sent for final approving to the Executive Vice President and Principal Fiancial Officer.

Mt. Brighton Ski Resort—Vail Properties Policy // 2020

This belongings policy prohibits the utilize of recreational/commercial drones by any guest or member of the public, for any reason, on Vail Resorts' belongings, except in express circumstances when an approved operator has obtained an FAA exemption and received written permission from the resort. This includes use associated with special events, marketing, and film/photo applications.

Note: We were unable to discover the actual ordinance on the West Bloomfield official regime website—the link provided above is to an article covering the town ban on drones in parks.

Looking to make it more practice flight your drone? You can scout out safety and legal places to fly using our guide to the Best Places to Wing a Drone in Detroit.

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

Epic 4K Michigan Drone edit