Drone Laws in Arkansas: Privacy Rules, Permits, and No-Fly Zones (2026)

Arkansas layers multiple drone statutes on top of the federal baseline. The critical infrastructure surveillance ban (Arkansas Code 5-60-103), the voyeurism statute (HB 1349), and the 2025 Privacy Act (HB 1148) each address different aspects of drone misuse. The state does not preempt local governments from adding their own restrictions, but no Arkansas city has passed a formal drone ordinance to date. Little Rock and Fayetteville handle drone issues through informal policies and institutional rules rather than city law.

Every FAA rule applies in Arkansas as the regulatory baseline. Arkansas state law adds privacy protections, critical infrastructure restrictions, and a foreign drone ban on top of these federal requirements.

Arkansas airspace and the $5,000 FAA fine

Arkansas's controlled airspace centers around Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT, Class C) in Little Rock, Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA, Class C) near Bentonville, and Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM, Class D). Little Rock Air Force Base shares runway space with LIT, which means the Class C airspace carries military sensitivity on top of civilian traffic.

In July 2022, the FAA fined a Little Rock drone operator $5,000 for creating a collision hazard with a helicopter. The pilot was operating in controlled airspace without authorization. This is one of the few publicized FAA enforcement actions in Arkansas, and it demonstrates that the FAA does pursue individual operators, not just commercial companies.

For a full breakdown of federal costs, see our drone license cost guide. For airspace restrictions, check the drone no-fly zones guide.

Arkansas has passed multiple drone-specific statutes since 2015. The state does not have a single consolidated drone law. Instead, restrictions are spread across the criminal code, privacy statutes, and government procurement rules.

HB 1148: the broadest drone image definition in the country

The Arkansas Privacy Act of 2025 (HB 1148) redefines what counts as a drone "image" more broadly than any other state law. The definition includes thermal imaging, infrared, ultraviolet, and any electromagnetic wave capture. If your drone has a thermal camera and you capture heat signatures of a person who has a reasonable expectation of privacy, that falls under HB 1148 even if you never recorded visible-light video.

The civil penalties are where this law gets serious. A person whose image is captured can sue for up to $5,000 in damages. If that image is then distributed (posted online, shared with others, sold), the damages jump to $10,000. The statute of limitations is two years from the date of capture or distribution. These are per-incident damages, meaning each separate capture or distribution event creates a new potential claim.

The exemptions

HB 1148 carves out several categories from its restrictions: research conducted by academic institutions, utility inspections, law enforcement operations, emergency response, agricultural monitoring, and professional mapping or surveying. These exemptions protect most commercial drone operations. If you are a Part 107 pilot doing roof inspections, land surveys, or agricultural NDVI imaging, you fall under the professional or utility exemptions. Recreational pilots with thermal cameras have no such protection.

Critical infrastructure surveillance

Arkansas Code 5-60-103, expanded by HB 1770 (Act 1019), prohibits drone surveillance of critical infrastructure. The first offense is a Class B misdemeanor carrying up to 90 days in jail and a $1,000 fine. A second or subsequent offense escalates to a Class A misdemeanor: up to one year in jail and $2,500. Critical infrastructure includes power plants, water treatment facilities, oil and gas installations, and similar facilities.

Act 525: foreign drone ban for state agencies

Act 525 prohibits Arkansas state agencies from purchasing drones manufactured by companies controlled by foreign adversary governments. This targets DJI specifically, though the language is broader. State agencies must phase out existing foreign-made drones by 2027. Little Rock Police Department continues using its DJI fleet under the phase-out timeline, but the department cannot buy replacements from DJI. The law does not affect private pilots or commercial operators.

For more on privacy restrictions, see our drone spying laws guide and flying over private property guide.

Arkansas has over 50 state parks, three national forests, and a mix of urban and rural terrain across the Ozarks and Delta regions. The state park drone ban is the most significant location restriction beyond federal airspace rules.

State parks permit process

All Arkansas state parks ban drone operations unless you obtain a Special Use Permit. The process requires submitting your FAA registration number and proof of liability insurance to parks.info@arkansas.gov. The permit is issued per-visit, not as a blanket authorization. Plan ahead, because processing times vary and last-minute requests may not be approved. Devil's Den, Petit Jean, and Mount Magazine are popular aerial photography destinations, but all require the permit.

University of Arkansas campus

The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville maintains a strict campus-wide drone ban. Any drone operation on university property requires written approval from the Provost's office. This is an institutional policy, not a city ordinance. Fayetteville itself has no formal drone ordinance, but the university restriction covers a large footprint in the city, including Razorback Stadium and the surrounding campus grounds.

Little Rock

Little Rock has no formal drone ordinance on the books. The city operates under an informal policy that requests pilots get permission before flying on city-owned property, including parks and public buildings. This is not legally enforceable as a city law, but city officials can ask you to leave city property if you do not have permission. Given that LIT's Class C airspace covers much of the metro area, LAANC authorization is the bigger practical concern for most flights in Little Rock.

For more on airspace rules, see our guides on drone no-fly zones and where you can fly a drone.

Commercial drone operations in Arkansas require FAA Part 107. The state adds no separate commercial drone license, and no city in Arkansas currently imposes additional commercial drone permits.

Part 107 basics

The Part 107 test costs $175, covers 60 multiple-choice questions, and is valid for 24 months. Arkansas has PSI testing centers in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Jonesboro. For a complete breakdown, see our drone license cost guide.

HB 1148 exemptions for commercial work

The Arkansas Privacy Act's broad image definition could concern commercial operators, but the exemptions cover most professional use cases. Utility inspections, agricultural monitoring, professional mapping and surveying, and research conducted for academic institutions are all exempt. If you are doing roof inspections for an insurance company, mapping a construction site, or running NDVI crop analysis, you fall under these carve-outs. Document which exemption applies to your work and keep records in case a property owner raises a complaint.

State business requirements

Arkansas requires a sales tax permit if you sell tangible goods. Most drone service businesses sell services rather than goods, but if you also sell prints or physical media, you need the permit. The state income tax ranges from 2% to 4.4%. Most commercial drone clients require $1 million in general liability coverage. No state-level drone business permit exists beyond the standard business registration.

Arkansas-specific commercial opportunities

• Agricultural monitoring (Arkansas is the top rice-producing state and a major soybean and cotton producer)
• Timber and forestry management in the Ozarks and Ouachita regions
• Real estate photography (Northwest Arkansas, the fastest-growing metro in the state)
• Construction progress monitoring (Bentonville, Rogers, and Fayetteville development boom)
• Infrastructure inspection (bridges over the Arkansas River, rural utility corridors)
• Insurance claims and roof inspections (tornado and storm damage in the Delta region)

For a full guide on getting started, see our how to start a drone business guide and drone pilot salary guide.