Drone Laws in Alabama: Prison Felonies, Gulf Shores Rules, and No-Fly Zones (2026)

Alabama's drone laws are evolving rapidly. For years, the state had no drone-specific statutes at all. Now, between the prison felony law, pending school and event bills, and aggressive local ordinances in Gulf Shores and Birmingham, Alabama is catching up fast. The prison drone law stands out nationally because most states treat similar violations as misdemeanors, not felonies.

Every FAA rule applies in Alabama as the regulatory baseline. Alabama state law adds restrictions on top of these, but cannot override or relax federal requirements.

Alabama does not require a separate state drone registration. Your FAA registration covers you statewide. For a full breakdown of federal costs, see our drone license cost guide. For airspace restrictions around Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM) and Huntsville International (HSV), check the drone no-fly zones guide.

Alabama went from having zero drone-specific statutes to passing one of the harshest prison drone laws in the country. The 2024 Drone Regulation Over Alabama Prisons Act (HB345) is the centerpiece, but two older criminal surveillance statutes and several pending bills round out the picture.

The prison drone law (HB345 and HB274)

HB345, signed in 2024, created a 500-foot horizontal and 200-foot vertical buffer zone around every Alabama Department of Corrections facility. Any drone operation inside that zone is a Class C felony. Surveillance and recording of a correctional facility from a drone also triggers felony charges. The law allows ADOC to confiscate drones and any attached contraband through civil forfeiture.

The follow-up bill, HB274 (2025), went further. It grants ADOC the authority to "disable, disrupt, or seize" drones operating in violation. Counter-UAS authority at the state level is rare. Alabama is one of a handful of states giving corrections officers the legal power to take drones out of the sky.

Criminal surveillance statutes

Two existing Alabama statutes apply to drone surveillance even though they predate consumer drones. Section 13A-11-32 makes it a Class B misdemeanor to conduct surveillance while trespassing in a "private place," defined as anywhere a person can reasonably expect to be safe from intrusion. Section 13A-11-32.1 covers aggravated criminal surveillance, specifically targeting surveillance of a person in a privacy-expected location for sexual gratification. Both statutes apply to drone operations. For more on how privacy laws affect drone pilots, see our drone spying laws guide.

Pending school and event bills

HB201 (2025) would create a 500-foot horizontal and 400-foot vertical buffer around public schools, requiring administrator consent for any drone flight within the zone. Flying without consent would be a Class C misdemeanor. Recording images of a school from within the zone bumps the charge to a Class A misdemeanor (up to 1 year in jail, $6,000 fine). HB429 (2026 session) targets ticketed entertainment events, banning drones within or above 400 feet of concerts and sporting events. It passed the Alabama House 93-3 and is advancing in the Senate.

Real enforcement: Holman Correctional Facility (February 2025)

Andrea Robinson used a drone to attempt delivering nearly a pound of marijuana to Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore. She made a second attempt, which led to her arrest. Robinson was charged with attempting a controlled substance crime, illegal drone operation, and promoting prison contraband. This case directly drove the passage of HB274, the counter-drone authority bill. In a separate incident in February 2026, William Dale Stuart was arrested near Ventress Correctional Facility after ADOC K-9 officers spotted his drone on state property.

Alabama's flyable areas depend heavily on which city you're in. The state itself has no blanket ban on drones in state parks, but local ordinances in Birmingham, Gulf Shores, and Orange Beach add significant restrictions.

Gulf Shores: Alabama's strictest local drone law

Gulf Shores Code of Ordinances (Sections 3-166 through 3-169) is the most detailed local drone law in Alabama. It prohibits flying within 500 feet of any venue, outdoor special event, or gulf beach area unless you have both FAA authorization and written permission from the city administrator. The ordinance also bans equipping drones with weapons or unapproved modifications and includes specific voyeurism and harassment provisions. Penalties reach $500 per offense and up to 6 months in jail.

Huntsville and military airspace

Huntsville sits next to Redstone Arsenal, home to the U.S. Army's aviation and missile programs and NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center. The military restricted airspace around Redstone extends well into areas that look like open suburban land. Flying near Huntsville requires extra caution because standard LAANC coverage doesn't apply to military restricted zones. You cannot get authorization through an app for these areas. For more on national park drone restrictions, see our dedicated guide.

Commercial drone operations in Alabama require the standard FAA Part 107 certificate. Alabama does not add any state-level commercial drone requirements beyond federal rules.

Part 107 basics

The Part 107 test costs $175, covers 60 multiple-choice questions on airspace, weather, and regulations, and is valid for 24 months before requiring a recurrent knowledge test. Alabama has PSI testing centers in Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile, Montgomery, and several smaller cities. Most locations offer same-week availability.

Local permit requirements

While Alabama has no state commercial drone license, some cities require additional permits. Birmingham may require special city permits for commercial drone operations over city-owned property. Gulf Shores requires written permission from the city administrator for any drone flight near beaches or events, commercial or otherwise. Always check with the specific municipality before booking a commercial job.

Alabama-specific commercial opportunities

• Real estate photography in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Mobile metro areas
• Agricultural monitoring across the Black Belt region's farming operations
• Insurance and storm damage inspection after Gulf Coast hurricane season
• Construction progress monitoring for Huntsville's rapid development (Toyota-Mazda plant, FBI relocation)
• Utility and power line inspection across Alabama Power's service territory
• Beach and coastal mapping for Gulf Shores tourism development

For a full guide on building a drone business, see our how to start a drone business guide and drone pilot salary guide. Alabama's commercial drone market is growing, particularly in Huntsville, which has become one of the fastest-growing tech and defense hubs in the Southeast.