Drone Regulations in Colorado: 2024–2025 Guide

Colorado drone operators must comply with three regulatory layers: federal FAA rules, state statutes on privacy and infrastructure, and local land-use ordinances. Colorado does not issue a state-specific drone license.

Quick Answer: What Rules Govern Drones in Colorado?

Drone operation in Colorado is governed by federal, state, and local authorities. Operators must comply with all of them.

Layer 1: Federal (FAA) controls airspace nationwide. FAA rules apply in Colorado just as they apply in every other state. Registration under 14 CFR Part 48 is required for any drone weighing more than 0.55 pounds. Commercial operations require a Remote Pilot Certificate under 14 CFR Part 107.

Layer 2: Colorado state statutes do not license drone operators. Instead, Colorado targets specific harmful behaviors: surveillance without consent, law-enforcement overreach, wildlife harassment, and interference with critical infrastructure. Operators who stay within FAA rules can still violate Colorado law if their data collection or flight path crosses these lines.

Layer 3: Local ordinances from cities and counties add rules about takeoff and landing on public property, park access, and filming permits. Whether a municipality can go further and restrict airspace itself remains legally unsettled in Colorado as of mid-2025.

Operator Obligations at a Glance

Colorado State Statutes on Drone Use

Colorado has not passed a comprehensive UAS act, instead amending existing statutes to address drones. Key statutes include:

C.R.S. § 18-7-801: Criminal Surveillance by Drone

This statute prohibits using a drone to observe, photograph, or record a person in a private place without that person's consent when the person has a reasonable expectation of privacy. Violations are a misdemeanor; consult the statute for current penalty classifications.

Real estate or inspection photography that captures a person in a private area without consent can trigger this statute, even if the flight complies with FAA rules. Consent and careful flight path planning are critical.

C.R.S. § 16-3-303.5: Law Enforcement UAS Use

This statute governs how Colorado law enforcement agencies may deploy drones. Requirements include:

• A warrant is generally required before using a drone to collect evidence or conduct surveillance, with narrow exceptions for emergencies, search and rescue, and certain public-event monitoring.
• Data collected by law enforcement drones must be deleted within a defined retention window unless it is evidence in an active investigation.
• Agencies must submit annual reports on their drone use to the Colorado General Assembly. Consult the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice to confirm the current reporting recipient.

C.R.S. § 18-9-202: Interference with Aircraft

This statute covers interference with manned aircraft and has been interpreted to apply to drone operations that endanger or obstruct aircraft. Actions that endanger manned aircraft may constitute a felony under this statute, separate from any FAA enforcement.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission Regulations

The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission prohibits using drones to harass, herd, or disturb wildlife in state parks and wildlife areas. This applies regardless of whether an operator holds a Part 107 certificate. Consult Colorado Parks and Wildlife directly for the current regulation number, as the Commission updates its rules periodically.

Critical Infrastructure Protections

Colorado restricts drone flights over energy generation and transmission facilities, water treatment infrastructure, and correctional facilities. These restrictions align with federal guidance but are enforced at the state level. Flying over a correctional facility perimeter without authorization is a criminal offense. Consult the Colorado Department of Corrections and the Colorado Public Utilities Commission for facility-specific no-fly designations.

Local Ordinances: What Colorado Cities and Counties Can (and Cannot) Regulate

The Preemption Question

The FAA's position is that federal law preempts local regulation of airspace. A city cannot dictate flight altitude or declare a no-fly zone in navigable airspace. Cities can regulate activity on the ground: takeoff and landing on public property, commercial filming permits in city parks, and the use of city-owned land.

The line between airspace and land-use regulation is not clearly defined by Colorado courts as of mid-2025. The failure of SB 24 means this ambiguity continues.

Denver

Denver Parks and Recreation restricts takeoff and landing in city parks without a permit. Commercial filming in Denver parks requires a film permit through the Denver Office of Special Events and Filming. Consult the Denver Parks and Recreation website and the Denver Revised Municipal Code (Title 39) for current restrictions.

Boulder

Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) restricts drone use on its managed lands. Filming permits are required for commercial UAS operations on OSMP property. Boulder also asserts local authority over drone use, but the legal extent of such restrictions remains untested in court. Consult the Boulder OSMP permit office directly for current fee schedules and application requirements.

Colorado Springs and Other Municipalities

Colorado Springs and other Front Range cities have posted temporary flight restrictions over large public events and city-owned facilities. These are typically coordinated with the FAA as Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) rather than standalone municipal bans. Check FAA TFR listings at tfr.faa.gov before any flight near a public event.

How to Look Up Local Rules

Before flying, check the relevant municipal code at municode.com or the city's official code portal. Search for "unmanned aircraft," "drone," or "UAS." If nothing appears, call the city clerk's office. Do not assume silence means permission, especially for commercial work.

Permit Requirements, Fees, and Timelines

Permit Comparison Table

For the Colorado State Land Board and CPW fee schedules, contact the agencies directly, as commercial permit fees are set administratively and change periodically.

FAA Part 107 Waivers: What Triggers One

Standard Part 107 operations allow daytime flight, within visual line of sight, below 400 feet AGL, and outside controlled airspace without prior authorization. If your Colorado operation involves any of the following, you need a waiver or authorization before flying:

• Flight at night (waiver or compliance with anti-collision lighting rules)
• Flight over moving vehicles or people not involved in the operation
• Beyond visual line of sight
• Operations in Class B, C, D, or E surface airspace (use LAANC for most of these)

Apply through the FAA DroneZone portal at faadronezone.faa.gov.

What Changed Recently: SB 24 and the 2025–2026 Legislative Landscape

SB 24 (2026A): Postponed Indefinitely

Colorado Senate Bill 24 proposed to clarify the boundary between state and local government authority to regulate unmanned aircraft. It would have established whether municipalities could impose drone restrictions stricter than state law.

The bill was postponed indefinitely by the Senate Committee on Local Government and Housing on March 17, 2026 (Colorado SB 24 (2026A), OpenStates, last action 2026-03-17). The preemption question remains unresolved. Cities and counties will continue asserting local authority over drone operations on public property. Operators should treat local ordinances as enforceable until a court or the legislature says otherwise.

FAA Remote ID Enforcement

The FAA's Remote ID rule (14 CFR Part 89) is in active enforcement. Drones manufactured after the compliance date must broadcast Remote ID. Operators flying drones without this capability must fly within FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (FRIAs). Consult the FAA's Remote ID page for current enforcement priorities.

FAA BVLOS Rulemaking

The FAA is developing rules for Beyond Visual Line of Sight (BVLOS) operations. No final BVLOS rule has been published as of mid-2025. Colorado operators who need BVLOS capabilities must still apply for individual Part 107 waivers.

2024–2025 Colorado Legislative Activity

Consult the Colorado General Assembly's bill search at leg.colorado.gov for any 2024 or 2025 session bills affecting drone privacy or law enforcement use. Verify current codification of C.R.S. § 18-7-801 and C.R.S. § 16-3-303.5 before relying on any specific provision.

Special Use Cases: Commercial Filming, Agriculture, Public Safety, and Research

Commercial Filming on Federal Lands

Colorado has extensive federal land managed by the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Commercial filming on National Forest land requires a Special Use Permit under 36 CFR Part 251. BLM Colorado has its own filming permit process. These are separate applications and fees. Both agencies treat drone filming as commercial filming for permit purposes.

Agricultural Drone Operations and Pesticide Application

If a drone applies pesticides for hire, the operator must have a commercial pesticide applicator license under the Colorado Pesticide Applicators' Act (C.R.S. § 35-10-101 et seq.). The Colorado Department of Agriculture applies the general licensing requirements of this act to drone-based pesticide application. Contact the Department's Plant Industry Division to confirm current license categories and examination requirements for drone applicators.

Public Safety and Law Enforcement

Colorado law enforcement agencies operating drones must comply with C.R.S. § 16-3-303.5, including warrant requirements, data retention limits, and annual reporting. Agencies should have a written UAS policy that addresses each statutory requirement. The Colorado Attorney General's office has published guidance on law enforcement technology use that supplements the statute.

University and Research Operators

Academic and research operators often use the FAA Certificate of Waiver or Authorization (COA) pathway rather than Part 107. Colorado universities conducting research involving human subjects data collected by drone should also review their Institutional Review Board (IRB) requirements, as aerial imagery of identifiable individuals may trigger IRB oversight.

Real Estate and Insurance Aerial Photography

Part 107 certification is required for this work. No additional Colorado state license exists specifically for aerial photography. However, C.R.S. § 18-7-801 applies fully: capturing images of people in private spaces without consent, even incidentally, creates criminal exposure. Plan flight paths to avoid residential backyards and interior views through windows.

Next Steps: How to Comply and Who to Contact

Step 1: Determine your operator category. Recreational, commercial, or public agency. Your category determines the applicable FAA pathway and state statutes.

Step 2: Register your drone with the FAA if it weighs more than 0.55 pounds. Register at faadronezone.faa.gov. Drones used for commercial operations must be registered through the Part 107 pathway.

Step 3: Obtain your Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate if flying commercially. Find an FAA-approved testing center and schedule the knowledge test.

Step 4: Check airspace before every flight. Use the FAA B4UFLY app or a LAANC provider like Aloft to identify controlled airspace, TFRs, and authorization requirements. Colorado has Class B airspace around Denver International Airport and Class C or D airspace around other airports including Colorado Springs and Pueblo.

Step 5: Research local ordinances for the specific city or county of operation. Start with these portals:

• Denver: denvergov.org/Government/Agencies-Departments-Offices/Agencies-Departments-Offices-Directory/Parks-Recreation
• Boulder: bouldercolorado.gov/open-space
• Colorado Springs: coloradosprings.gov (search municipal code)

Step 6: Apply for state and federal land permits well in advance. Allow at least 30 to 60 days for state permits and 90 days or more for complex FAA waivers.

Step 7: Review C.R.S. § 18-7-801 against your planned data collection. If your operation captures imagery near residential property, document your consent procedures and flight path planning.

Key Contacts

Monitor the Colorado General Assembly's bill search for any drone preemption legislation. The failure of SB 24 means this issue will likely return.