Drone Laws in Minnesota: What You Should Know
The following are drone laws that apply to every state in the U.S., including Minnesota, Wisconsin, and were created by the federal government.
Paying attention to everything the FAA has put forth since their drone laws and regulations were initially put into full effect is crucial for all drone fliers.
It is important to note that many states may have different regulations, which must be taken into account when flying in their airspace.
In Minnesota, for example, all drone users are required to get a special permit from the FAA if they are flying over populated areas, which is not the case in other states.
State Drone Laws in Minnesota
In this article, I will give a brief overview of the laws in your state. However, I cannot cover all the minutiae in just two thousand words. These are drone laws that apply throughout the state of Minnesota and were created by the Minnesota Legislature.
MN DOT Aeronautics Rules Chapter 8800
Commercial drone operators in the state must pay a $30 licensing fee to obtain a Commercial Operations License.
This statute requires that commercial operators hold drone insurance and sets specific insurance based on the aircraft being flown.
The statue requires that all commercial operators of drones in the state of Minnesota to register with the required department of the Minnesota Department of Transportation. To register, you may use either one of the following two options to register your aircraft. You can either download and print the Aircraft Registration Application and Sales/Use Tax Return from the MN DOT Aircraft Registration page. In most cases a registration fee of $100/year will apply.
Feel free to navigate through all of MN DOT’s regulations for commercial drone operators on their UAS/Drones webpage.
This legislation appropriates $348,000 to assess the use of UAS in natural resource monitoring of moose populations and changes in ecosystems.
Have you been looking for a safe and legal location to fly your drone? You can scout out safe and legal places to fly on your own using our guide to Where to Fly a Drone.
Interested in what kind of footage the drone can capture in Minnesota? Here are some lovely views of the Wisconsin River: