South Carolina is a great place for drone enthusiasts because there are many sights that one might enjoy capturing. However, you must first understand its state laws and regulations before you start flying your drone. Otherwise, you could get into trouble or even face legal action.
Therefore, I have covered all the state, local, and federal laws regarding UAVs in this article. After reading them, you can plan your destinations accordingly and enjoy your flights without any issues.
Let's not waste any more time and jump straight to the drone laws in Carolina.
The state of South Carolina permits the flight of commercial and recreational drones, provided that you are correctly following all state, local, and federal laws. You must be aware that some areas in South Carolina do not allow the use of drones while others only permit them under certain conditions.
To stay safe you must always follow the state, local, and federal laws whenever you are flying. There are some places where there will be no local laws. For instance, most of the state parks in South Carolina have no restrictions on drones.
Nevertheless, you must be sure of the rules and regulations. What are the state, local, and federal laws on drones within your state? Keep reading to learn them all!
There are no specific local laws for commercial and recreational UAVs. However, you should still follow the state and federal laws whether you are flying for commercial purposes or just for fun.
Just because there are no local drone laws currently doesn't mean that you are free to fly anywhere you want. Besides that, rules and regulations are subject to change; therefore, you must always ask the local authorities before taking off to stay away from unwanted trouble.
Currently, there are no special laws about drones in South Carolina, and this can be confirmed by both the South Carolina Department of Transportation and the South Carolina General Assembly. However, it doesn't mean you are allowed to fly your drone just anywhere you want.
If you are a commercial pilot, you must follow the federal rules and regulations according to FAA part 107.
I highly recommend asking permission from your local authorities before taking off. Especially when flying in parks or other recreational places, you need to get permission to avoid unnecessary problems.
After the state and local laws, here are the federal rules for commercial and recreational pilots.
If you wish to fly your drone commercially, you will have to fulfill all the FAA’s part 107 small UAS Rule requirements. Besides that, you must pass the FAA's Aeronautical Knowledge test to obtain a remote pilot certificate.
If you are a recreational drone pilot, you must pass the recreational UAS safety test (TRUST). Besides that, you will also have to follow the recreational model aircraft rules.
According to these rules, the weight of your drone must not exceed 55 lbs; otherwise, it will not be considered a recreational drone. In addition, you must pay a $5 registration fee to obtain your registration from the FAA.
Also, you must never fly your drone above too high and always make sure to keep it within the line of sight range. You must also never chase anyone with your drone or take pictures of people without their consent.
As mentioned earlier, there are currently no local laws for recreational as well as commercial drones. However, I would still recommend getting permission from the local authorities and always having your registration and license ready whenever you are taking off.
This is for your safety so that whenever law enforcement authorities ask you for it, you can easily present it at that moment. This will ensure that you stay out of any unwanted troubles and fly your drone without any interference at all.
According to the federal rules, you must never fly your drone above the people directly or film them without their consent.
There are currently no restrictions on drones flying over private property in South Carolina. However, It is highly recommended to avoid flying over private properties because people usually get annoyed when they find a trespassing drone.
Someone can even file a complaint against you and charge you for following them, trespassing, or harassing them. This way you can get into serious trouble. Although it is not considered a criminal case, it is a civil matter, and you should always respect people around you.
You will have to register your drone under US drone laws regardless of whether it is for commercial or recreational purposes. Moreover, you will also need to attach the registration number to your drone in such a way that it is visible if the weight of the drone is more than 0.55 lbs.
In addition to this, you will also need to carry your registration certificate with you whenever you are flying your drone in South Carolina. You should present it whenever a state, local, or federal law officer asks you for it.
Currently, no rules restrict drone pilots from flying in state parks, beaches, or historic parks. However, you will need to ensure that the place where you are currently flying is not very near to sensitive infrastructures such as military bases, or airports.
Apart from that, you should also not violate any FAA rules and regulations; otherwise, you may face difficult situations. To stay in a safe range, always keep your drone to a limited height and make sure that it remains under your line of sight range.
Never fly your drone beyond this range; otherwise, you will be violating the rules and regulations of the FAA.
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