Colorado's state-level drone laws focus on two areas: wildlife protection and emergency response. The bigger regulatory story is the local ordinance patchwork created by the absence of state preemption.
| Restriction | Statute | Penalty |
|---|
| Using drones to scout wildlife as aid in hunting | CPW Regulation 004 (2 CCR 406-0, Art. IV, Sec. C) | $70-$125,000 depending on species and severity |
| Obstructing emergency responders with a drone | CRS 18-8-104 (amended by HB 18-1314) | Class 2 misdemeanor: up to 120 days jail, $750 fine |
| Criminal invasion of privacy via drone | CRS 18-7-801 / 18-7-802 | Class 2 misdemeanor: up to 120 days jail, $750 fine |
| Drone operations in state parks | State Parks Regulation 100 c.24 | Park violation citation |
The wildlife scouting ban
Colorado Parks and Wildlife actively enforces the prohibition on using drones to look for, scout, or detect wildlife as an aid in hunting. The fine structure is aggressive: penalties scale based on the species involved, starting at $70 for small game and reaching $125,000 for trophy species like elk or bighorn sheep. CPW officers monitor social media for evidence of drone-assisted hunting, and multiple citations have been issued based on video posted by hunters to YouTube and Instagram.
This ban applies to the scouting itself, not just the killing. If you fly a drone to locate an elk herd and then hunt on foot the next day using that information, you have violated the regulation. The intent is to prevent drones from giving hunters an unfair technological advantage.
Warning: CRS 41-1-107 gives Colorado surface landowners airspace rights, creating potential civil trespass liability for low-altitude drone flights over private property. Unlike most states, Colorado has a statutory basis for property owners to argue that unauthorized drone overflights constitute trespass. This has not been extensively litigated, but the statute exists.
Emergency response obstruction
CRS 18-8-104, as amended by HB 18-1314, makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor to obstruct peace officers, firefighters, EMS, rescue specialists, or volunteers using a drone. The penalty is up to 120 days jail and a $750 fine (changed from the older 3-12 months/$250-$1,000 range after Colorado's 2022 misdemeanor reform under SB 21-271).
The law includes a practical exception: if you get permission from the coordinating emergency entity, maintain communication with them, and comply with their instructions, you are exempt from obstruction charges. This carve-out exists because HB 17-1070 directed Colorado to study UAS integration for firefighting and search-and-rescue, recognizing that drones can help emergency response when properly coordinated.
The $270,000 Borunda fine
In November 2024, the FAA fined Henry "Hank" Borunda of Pueblo, Colorado $270,000 for 232 documented regulatory violations between August 2022 and December 2023. Borunda operated social media accounts under the name "BumsNDrones" and posted videos of himself using drones to harass homeless people. Violations included flying without certification, operating over people, nighttime flights without lights, and flying close enough to individuals that they had to duck. His TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube accounts were banned. The $270,000 fine was one of the largest individual FAA drone penalties ever issued.
The 2019-2020 mystery drone swarms
Between December 2019 and January 2020, groups of up to 19 drones flew in grid formations at night across rural northeastern Colorado, western Nebraska, and Kansas. The flights occurred between 6-10 PM and covered wide areas in organized patterns. The FAA, FBI, Colorado Department of Public Safety, and NORAD all investigated. No operator was ever identified. The incident increased public awareness of drone activity in Colorado and contributed to legislative interest in stronger regulation.
For more on privacy law, see our drone spying laws guide and flying over private property guide.
