North Carolina's drone statutes are concentrated in Article 16B (GS 15A-300.1 through 15A-300.3) of the General Statutes. The state also has one of the country's most aggressive surveying board interpretations that directly impacts commercial drone operators.
| Statute | What It Covers | Penalty |
|---|
| GS 15A-300.1(3a) | Surveillance of persons on their property without consent | Class 1 misdemeanor |
| GS 15A-300.1(3b) | Photographing private property without owner consent | Class 1 misdemeanor |
| GS 15A-300.1(4) | Interfering with manned aircraft | Class H felony |
| GS 15A-300.2 | Possessing or using a weapon-equipped drone | Class E felony (up to 88 months) |
| GS 15A-300.1(5) | Hunting or fishing with a drone | Class 1 misdemeanor |
| GS 15A-300.3 | Flying within 500 ft of a prison or jail | Class 1 misdemeanor |
| GS 14-202(c) | Secret peeping using a drone (filming/photographing someone in private without consent) | Class A1 misdemeanor (felony if disseminated) |
| GS 89C (Board interpretation) | Producing orthomosaic maps or 3D models without surveyor license | Criminal misdemeanor + civil penalties |
The Surveying License Trap
This is the biggest North Carolina-specific issue for commercial operators. The NC Board of Examiners for Engineers and Surveyors has taken the position that creating orthomosaic maps, 3D models, or any georeferenced imagery from drone data constitutes "land surveying" under GS 89C. That means you need a licensed professional surveyor (PLS) on staff or risk criminal charges.
In 2018, the board sent a cease-and-desist letter to Michael Jones of 360 Virtual Drone Services, a one-man operation producing aerial maps and thermal images for clients. Jones sued with help from the Institute for Justice, arguing his drone photography was protected speech under the First Amendment. In May 2024, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against Jones, finding the law regulated conduct (surveying), not speech. Jones petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court in September 2024.
Warning: If you produce orthomosaic maps, topographic surveys, or volumetric measurements from drone data in North Carolina, the surveying board may consider you in violation of GS 89C. This applies even if you hold a Part 107 certificate. Consult an attorney before offering mapping services.
Privacy and Surveillance Restrictions
GS 15A-300.1 prohibits using a drone to conduct surveillance of a person, photograph their dwelling, or photograph them without consent for public dissemination. The statute carves out exceptions for newsgathering (news organizations covering newsworthy events) and law enforcement operating under a warrant. The privacy restrictions are broader than many states because they cover photography of property, not just people. North Carolina's secret peeping statute (GS 14-202(c)) also applies to drones: using a drone to secretly film or photograph someone in a private setting without consent is a Class A1 misdemeanor, and if the footage is disseminated, the charge escalates to a felony.
GS 15A-300.1 also creates a civil cause of action with statutory damages of $5,000 per unauthorized photo or video published, plus attorney fees. Victims don't need to prove actual damages. This dual criminal/civil track is unusual among state drone laws.
Repealed State Drone Permit (December 2024)
Until December 1, 2024, North Carolina was the only state in the country that required its own drone knowledge test and permit on top of FAA Part 107. The NCDOT UAS Operator Knowledge Test was mandatory for all commercial and government operators. The legislature repealed this requirement, but many online guides still reference it. You no longer need any state-level permit to fly commercially in North Carolina.
Note: North Carolina prohibits drones within 3,000 feet horizontally or vertically of any forest fire under NC Forest Service jurisdiction. If the drone is the proximate cause of serious bodily injury during fire operations, the operator faces felony charges. This is one of the largest fire buffer zones of any state.
Enforcement: Anson Correctional Institution Drone Smuggling (March 2025)
In March 2025, three Fayetteville residents (Roland J. Snoke, David A. Johnson, and Trudy M. Gibbs) attempted to use a drone to smuggle K2 paper, methamphetamine, tobacco, cigarettes, and suboxone strips into Anson Correctional Institution in Polkton. All three were arrested and charged with providing contraband to an inmate, each receiving $100,000 secured bonds. The case illustrates why North Carolina maintains a 500-foot drone buffer around prisons under GS 15A-300.3.
