If you read three drone-law guides about New Hampshire before this one, at least one of them probably told you the state now lets you fly in its state parks for a $25 commercial fee, with carve-outs for Cannon Mountain and Flume Gorge. It sounds oddly specific, and it traces back to a real bill — House Bill 644, "relative to flying drones in state parks," introduced in 2025. The catch is that the bill died. The House voted it Inexpedient to Legislate on March 6, 2025, and it never became law. The $25 fee, the $300 fines, the Cannon and Flume exceptions — none of that is on the books. It is the single most-copied error in New Hampshire drone content right now, and it is a useful warning: the rules that actually govern your flight here changed in 2026, but not in the direction those guides claim.
What did change is bigger. For most of the last decade New Hampshire had almost no drone-specific law. Then in 2025 the legislature passed HB 468, Governor Ayotte signed it on August 1, and as of January 1, 2026 the state has a real criminal drone statute — RSA 644:23 — that reaches everything from Part 107 violations to airport interference to armed drones. Layer that on top of a hunting-harassment statute, the privacy law, a launch-and-landing ban in the state parks, the White Mountain National Forest's own rules, and the federal floor that applies everywhere, and a real-estate fly-around in Manchester, a foliage clip over Franconia Notch, a powerline inspection for a rural electric cooperative, and a Sunday hobby flight in a Concord backyard all sit inside the same three layers of law. This guide walks through each one with citations to the New Hampshire General Court, the state parks system, NH Fish and Game, the Forest Service, and the FAA, so a New Hampshire flight stays legal from pre-takeoff to landing.
What governs drone flight in New Hampshire?
Three layers, in this order:
Federal law (FAA)
Applies everywhere in New Hampshire. This is the floor, not the ceiling.
New Hampshire state law
The new RSA 644:23 drone statute (effective January 1, 2026), the privacy law it cross-references, and the Fish and Game rules on hunting and wildlife.
Local and federal-land rules
The state-parks launch-and-landing ban, the White Mountain National Forest order, the Appalachian Trail and other federal-land units, and the airspace overlay. Local bodies can regulate takeoff and landing on property they own. They cannot regulate the airspace. That belongs to the FAA.
The rest of this article works through each layer in that order.
Federal baseline: what applies everywhere
Before any New Hampshire rule kicks in, you are bound by FAA rules. Here is the short version.
- Part 107Covers commercial operation. If you fly for anything that benefits a business — real-estate listings, roof inspections, wedding videography, landscape stock footage, paid social content — you need the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate.
- TRUSTThe Recreational UAS Safety Test covers non-commercial flight. Free, online, and you cannot fail it. Carry the completion certificate when you fly. No New Hampshire drone license exists on top of it.
- FAA registrationFive dollars, every drone heavier than 0.55 lb (250 g). The registration number has to be visible on the aircraft.
- Remote IDMandatory since March 16, 2024 — Standard Remote ID, a broadcast module, or operation inside a FRIA.
- Altitude cap400 ft AGL for most flights.
- Visual Line of SightDaylight or civil twilight unless waivered.
- Controlled airspaceClass C (MHT), Class D, and surface E require LAANC authorization before launch; the Boston Class B shelf reaches far-southern New Hampshire.
One New Hampshire wrinkle worth flagging up front: under the new state statute, a Part 107 violation is not just a federal problem anymore. It can also be charged under state law. More on that next. Everything that follows is what New Hampshire layers on top.
New Hampshire state-level drone laws
The 2026 drone statute: RSA 644:23
The headline change is RSA 644:23, "Unlawful Operation or Use of Small Unmanned Aircraft System." It came out of HB 468 in the 2025 session, was signed into law as Chapter 278 on August 1, 2025, and took effect on January 1, 2026. It is a layered statute, and it borrows its definitions of "aircraft" and "small unmanned aircraft system" from the New Hampshire Aeronautics Act (RSA 422:3). Here is what it actually does.
It makes a Part 107 violation a state offense. Operating a drone in violation of FAA rules, including 14 CFR Part 107, is a violation for a first offense and a misdemeanor for a second. This is the part most pilots overlook. The federal rules you already follow now have state teeth in New Hampshire.
It protects emergency scenes and privacy. Flying a drone in a way that interferes with law enforcement, firefighting, or other emergency-response operations is a misdemeanor, as is operating a drone in a way that violates the state's privacy statute (RSA 644:9, below). Working news-media operators are exempt if they hold a valid FAA certificate of waiver or authorization for news gathering, comply with Part 107, stay clear of the responders, and follow the on-scene agency's directions.
It builds an airport-interference ladder. Negligently operating a drone so as to interfere with a crewed aircraft or disrupt an airport is a Class A misdemeanor. If that operation damages a crewed aircraft in flight, it becomes a Class B felony. If it causes a crash that results in death or serious bodily injury, it is a Class A felony.
It restricts flying over correctional facilities. Operating a drone in FAA-restricted airspace over a federal, state, or county correctional, penal, or detention facility is a misdemeanor — and a Class B felony if the purpose is to deliver contraband or aid an escape.
It bans the armed drone. Knowingly possessing or operating a drone equipped with a device capable of causing serious bodily injury, death, or property damage — or otherwise capable of firing or releasing a projectile — is a Class B felony. Bomb-squad explosives-disposal use and certain law-enforcement uses are carved out. A law-enforcement officer acting under lawful authority is exempt from the section generally.
The state-parks fee law that was never enacted
Worth repeating clearly, because so much New Hampshire drone content gets it wrong: there is no enacted New Hampshire law that opens the state parks to drones for a fee. House Bill 644, "relative to flying drones in state parks," would have created exactly that — a framework with a commercial fee of up to $25 per day, fines up to $300, and carve-outs barring flight at the Cannon Mountain ski area during ski season and Flume Gorge from May through October. It was voted Inexpedient to Legislate on March 6, 2025, and did not become law. As of this review, the actual state-parks rule is the simpler, stricter one described below: no takeoff or landing within park boundaries. If a future session revives and passes a parks bill, this section will change.
Privacy: RSA 644:9
New Hampshire's invasion-of-privacy statute is not drone-specific, but it reaches a drone's camera, and the new drone law now points straight at it. Under RSA 644:9, a person commits a Class A misdemeanor by unlawfully and without consent installing or using a device to observe, photograph, or record someone's private body parts or under their clothing, or to capture images or sounds inside a private place — a restroom, locker room, the interior of a dwelling, anywhere a person reasonably expects to be safe from surveillance. The penalty rises to a felony for repeat offenses and where the person filmed is a child under eighteen. Because RSA 644:23 makes a drone flight that violates 644:9 an independent drone offense, a camera hovering at a bedroom window or over a privacy-fenced backyard now carries two layers of state exposure, not one.
Wildlife, hunting, and harassment
New Hampshire was an early mover on drones and hunting. Under RSA 207:57, the hunting-harassment statute, no person may use a drone to conduct video surveillance of private citizens who are lawfully hunting, fishing, or trapping without first getting their written consent — language the legislature added back in 2015. Separately, a New Hampshire Fish and Game rule (Fis 312.01 and .02) prohibits using a drone to locate or attempt to locate game for the purpose of taking it. The two rules cover different things: one is about spying on other people in the field, the other is about using the drone itself to find or drive game. The practical takeaway is the same either way. Do not film other hunters without written consent, and do not use a drone to scout or chase wildlife.
Critical infrastructure: no standalone statute
New Hampshire does not have a standalone "no drones over power plants or water plants" law. The only infrastructure-specific provision in state law is the correctional-facility piece inside RSA 644:23. Flying near a substation, a dam, or a water-treatment plant is governed by ordinary federal airspace rules and any posted restrictions, not by a dedicated New Hampshire overflight statute. If that changes in a future session, this section will note it.
Commercial versus recreational operation
New Hampshire does not require a state-level drone license, registration, or business permit beyond what the FAA already requires. Commercial operators need FAA registration and Part 107. Recreational operators need FAA registration and TRUST. Ordinary New Hampshire business and tax rules apply to a commercial drone operator the same way they apply to any other business. There is no state paperwork to add — the constraints are the conduct rules above and the land-access rules below.
Penalties at a glance
| Violation | Citation | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| Operating a drone in violation of FAA rules / Part 107 | RSA 644:23, II | Violation (first); misdemeanor (subsequent) |
| Interfering with police, fire, or emergency response | RSA 644:23, III | Misdemeanor |
| Operating a drone in a way that violates the privacy law | RSA 644:23, III / RSA 644:9 | Misdemeanor (privacy itself: Class A misdemeanor, escalating) |
| Disrupting an airport or interfering with a crewed aircraft | RSA 644:23, IV(a) | Class A misdemeanor |
| Same — damaging a crewed aircraft in flight | RSA 644:23, IV(b) | Class B felony |
| Same — causing a crash with death or serious injury | RSA 644:23, IV(c) | Class A felony |
| Drone in restricted airspace over a correctional facility | RSA 644:23, V | Misdemeanor; Class B felony for contraband/escape |
| Armed or projectile-capable drone | RSA 644:23, VI | Class B felony |
| Drone surveillance of lawful hunters/anglers/trappers | RSA 207:57 | Violation |
| Using a drone to locate game to take it | Fis 312.01/.02 | Fish & Game rule violation |
| Takeoff/landing in a NH state park | NH State Parks (DNCR) rule | Park-rule violation |
| Drone in a WMNF Wilderness area / within 1/4 mi of a Forest Protection Area | USFS Forest Order R9-22-19-01 | Federal forest-order violation |
| NPS units (Saint-Gaudens NHP, Appalachian Trail corridor) | 36 CFR § 1.5 | Federal petty offense — up to 6 mo / $5,000 |
Local ordinances to watch in New Hampshire
New Hampshire has no state law preempting local drone rules, but in practice the local layer is thin. Most New Hampshire cities have not enacted standalone civilian drone ordinances, and the realistic local touchpoint is a town's conduct rules for its own parks — takeoff and landing on town property — not the airspace, which stays federal. The state's own Municipal Association frames town authority as the standard police-power set: privacy, trespass, and ground use, all consistent with federal preemption of the airspace.
Manchester Class C airspace
Manchester has no broad civilian drone ordinance that we could confirm from a primary source. The constraint that actually catches pilots here is airspace: Manchester-Boston Regional Airport (MHT) anchors Class C airspace over the metro, so LAANC is required in the controlled rings. The Manchester Millyard, a favorite shoot location, sits squarely under that airspace — plan the LAANC request before you go. City park-conduct rules apply to launch and landing.
Nashua & Concord Check the airspace
Nashua sits south of Manchester under the MHT Class C shelf and close to the Boston metro airspace complex, so the airspace check through B4UFLY is the first move there. Concord, the state capital, has its own non-towered municipal airport (CON) in uncontrolled (Class G) airspace, but downtown — where the state-government buildings cluster — can still carry security or event restrictions, so check before you fly. Neither city has a widely published standalone civilian drone ordinance that we confirmed in this pass; the reliable habit is to check the local code and the airspace before flying somewhere new.
Before launching anywhere in New Hampshire, check the airspace through B4UFLY — Manchester-Boston's Class C and the Boston Class B shelf over the southern border dominate most flights — and remember the two land traps: you cannot take off or land in a state park, and in the White Mountains you must stay out of the Wilderness areas and clear of Forest Protection Areas.
Where to fly legally in New Hampshire
Looking for places to fly that do not require chasing a permit?
- Private property with the owner's permission, outside controlled-airspace rings unless you have LAANC.
- AMA-recognized club fields listed at modelaircraft.org. Membership includes insurance and a vetted list of fields.
- FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs), updated at faa.gov.
- The White Mountain National Forest, under Forest Service rules, is generally more welcoming than the state parks. Recreational drone use is allowed on most forest land, with two big exceptions: you cannot take off or land within a quarter-mile of a Forest Protection Area or the alpine zone, and drones are flatly prohibited in the forest's six congressionally designated Wilderness areas — Great Gulf, Pemigewasset, Presidential Range–Dry River, Sandwich Range, Wild River, and Caribou-Speckled. Check the current forest order before you go.
- The B4UFLY app before every flight. It surfaces controlled airspace, active TFRs, and security exclusions in real time.
Two reminders that trip people up. New Hampshire's state parks are not on this list — you cannot take off or land within their boundaries, and that includes Franconia Notch State Park, which sits inside the White Mountain National Forest. And the federal-land units, led by Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park in Cornish and the Appalachian Trail corridor running through the high peaks, are off the list entirely.
Who enforces drone laws in New Hampshire?
Federal rules are enforced by the FAA, with civil-penalty ceilings that can reach five figures for serious safety or TFR violations. State criminal charges under RSA 644:23 and the privacy statute are filed by county prosecutors after investigation by local police or the New Hampshire State Police. New Hampshire Fish and Game conservation officers enforce the hunting-harassment statute and the wildlife rules. State parks staff enforce the parks launch-and-landing rule. Forest Service law-enforcement officers enforce the White Mountain National Forest order, and National Park Service rangers enforce the federal drone ban at Saint-Gaudens and along the Appalachian Trail corridor, with citations filed in federal court. Civil liability for privacy intrusions runs in parallel with any criminal exposure.
How to fly legally in New Hampshire — quick checklist
- Drone registered with the FAA and the number visible on the aircraft.
- Remote ID active and broadcasting (or operating inside a FRIA).
- Under 400 feet AGL, Visual Line of Sight, daylight or civil twilight.
- Airspace checked. LAANC approved if you are in Class C (MHT) or other controlled rings, including the Boston Class B shelf over far-southern New Hampshire.
- Commercial use? Remote Pilot Certificate current — and remember a Part 107 violation is now also a state offense under RSA 644:23. Recreational use? TRUST certificate on you.
- Clear of correctional facilities, airports, and emergency scenes; no weapon of any kind attached to the aircraft.
- Not taking off or landing in a New Hampshire state park.
- In the White Mountain National Forest, clear of Wilderness areas and Forest Protection Areas.
- Federal-land units off the list entirely: Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park and the Appalachian Trail corridor.
- Not filming hunters without written consent, not using the drone to locate game, and with the property owner's permission for takeoff and landing.
Commercial drone work in New Hampshire
New Hampshire's commercial drone demand starts with its scenery. Landscape and tourism media, real-estate aerials, and resort and event coverage run hard across the White Mountains, Franconia Notch, the Lakes Region around Winnipesaukee, and the Seacoast — and that visual work is the most common entry point into paid flying in the state. On top of media, the state's utilities and rural electric cooperatives, including Eversource and the New Hampshire Electric Cooperative, lean on drones for transmission and distribution inspection. Add bridge and roadway inspection tied to NHDOT and private engineering firms, and a growing set of municipal and county public-safety programs — search-and-rescue is no small thing in the White Mountains — and the through-line is clear: the entry credential for nearly all of it is the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate.
How USI helps you fly legally
Knowing the rules is half the work. The other half is the credential — and the path looks different depending on who you are. Three audiences, three doors.
Fast Track to a paid drone career
Fast Track programs operate in partner states; the Fast Track hub lists every state where funded pathways are currently available. In New Hampshire, drone work concentrates in landscape and tourism media, real estate, utility and powerline inspection, infrastructure inspection, and public safety. A Part 107 credential is the standard entry point, and the DPSK (Drone Pilot Starter Kit) is USI's structured exam-prep and entry training course.
See Fast Track in your state →Drone curriculum for your school
USI provides classroom-ready drone curriculum, instructor support, and student certification for high-school CTE programs nationwide. New Hampshire students working through a drone CTE pathway graduate with a Part 107-ready credential — useful for entering media and real estate, utility and infrastructure inspection, and public-safety roles in the state.
Curriculum for high schools →Commercial UAS training solutions
USI builds tailored commercial training programs for fleets and operations teams — utilities, infrastructure and AEC firms, media and tourism, public safety, and surveying among the most common. In New Hampshire, the industries that most often need this depth of training include utilities and energy, transportation and bridge inspection, real estate and media production, and municipal public-safety operators.
Training for commercial teams →New Hampshire drone law FAQ
When will I be able to fly beyond visual line of sight for commercial work in New Hampshire?
Not yet on a routine basis, and there is no New Hampshire-specific timeline. Beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) flight — the capability utility inspectors covering long powerline runs and infrastructure operators most want — is the subject of the FAA's proposed Part 108 rule. The FAA issued the BVLOS notice of proposed rulemaking, but as of this review there is no final rule and no published effective date. Until Part 108 is finalized, BVLOS in New Hampshire requires a specific FAA waiver. Plan around visual-line-of-sight operations and watch the FAA for the final rule.
Do I need a license to fly a drone in New Hampshire?
For commercial use, yes: the FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. For recreational use, the free TRUST certificate. New Hampshire does not issue any separate state drone license.
Do I have to register my drone with the state of New Hampshire?
No. There is no New Hampshire state drone registration. FAA registration only — $5 for any drone over 0.55 pounds.
What is RSA 644:23, the new New Hampshire drone law?
RSA 644:23 is New Hampshire's first comprehensive criminal drone statute, effective January 1, 2026. It makes a Part 107 violation a state offense, bars interfering with police, fire, and emergency responders, sets a felony ladder for interfering with crewed aircraft or disrupting airports, restricts flight over correctional facilities, and makes an armed or projectile-capable drone a Class B felony.
Can I fly a drone in a New Hampshire state park?
No, not in the usual sense. New Hampshire State Parks prohibit taking off or landing a drone within park boundaries, which covers parks, beaches, and historic sites statewide. A 2025 bill (HB 644) that would have opened the parks to drones for a fee did not pass, so the launch-and-landing ban is the current rule. Franconia Notch State Park is included, even though it sits inside the national forest.
Can I fly a drone in the White Mountain National Forest?
Generally yes, for recreational use, but with limits. The Forest Service allows recreational drones on most White Mountain National Forest land, but you cannot take off or land within a quarter-mile of a Forest Protection Area or the alpine zone, and drones are prohibited in the forest's six designated Wilderness areas. Check the current forest order before flying.
Can I fly over private property in New Hampshire?
The airspace above private property is federal, and New Hampshire has no statute barring simple transient overflight. But linger or film in a way that violates the privacy statute (RSA 644:9), and you can be charged — and under RSA 644:23 a drone flight that violates 644:9 is an independent drone offense. Get takeoff-and-landing permission from the property owner and do not loiter over the neighbors.
Can I use a drone for hunting or deer recovery in New Hampshire?
Not for scouting or locating game. A New Hampshire Fish and Game rule prohibits using a drone to locate or attempt to locate game for the purpose of taking it, and RSA 207:57 bars using a drone to film lawful hunters, anglers, or trappers without their written consent. Keep the drone away from wildlife and away from other people in the field.
Does New Hampshire require police to get a warrant for drone surveillance?
There is no broad New Hampshire statute requiring a warrant before police drone use across the board. Police drone use is governed by Fourth Amendment doctrine and department policy, and RSA 644:23 expressly exempts law-enforcement officers acting under lawful authority. If a future session enacts a warrant requirement, this answer will change.
How high can I fly a drone in New Hampshire?
400 feet above ground level is the FAA ceiling for most operations, and New Hampshire does not lower it. Inside controlled airspace, LAANC may approve a lower ceiling near airports such as Manchester-Boston (MHT).
Can I fly a drone at night in New Hampshire?
Yes, under federal rules, if your drone has the required anti-collision lighting visible for at least three statute miles. Part 107 night operations no longer require a waiver, but the lighting requirement is mandatory.
Is it legal to shoot down a drone in New Hampshire?
No. Shooting down a drone is a federal felony under 18 U.S.C. § 32 (aircraft sabotage), regardless of whether the drone was over your property. Document it, report it to local law enforcement, and file an FAA report.
Can I make money flying drones in New Hampshire?
Yes. With a Part 107 certificate you can operate commercially statewide. Landscape and tourism media, real-estate photography, utility and powerline inspection, infrastructure and bridge inspection, and public-safety support are the leading commercial markets. No additional state license is required.
Citations
Federal
- FAA Part 107
- FAA Remote ID
- FAA BVLOS / Part 108 rulemaking
- 14 CFR § 99.7 — stadium TFRs
- NPS Policy Memorandum 14-05 / 36 CFR § 1.5
New Hampshire state
- RSA 644:23 — unlawful operation or use of a small unmanned aircraft system (eff. Jan 1, 2026)
- RSA 644:9 — violation of privacy
- RSA 207:57 — harassment / hunting interference
- RSA 422:3 — New Hampshire Aeronautics Act definitions
- HB 644 (2025) — state-parks drone bill (not enacted)
New Hampshire agencies
- New Hampshire State Parks (DNCR) — current legislation / rules
- NHDOT Bureau of Aeronautics — UAS / Drones
- NH Municipal Association — State and Local Regulation of Drones (Fis 312 summary)
Federal land in New Hampshire
- White Mountain National Forest (USFS) — drone policy / Forest Order R9-22-19-01
- NPS uncrewed-aircraft policy (Saint-Gaudens NHP; Appalachian Trail corridor)