Can you fly drone in Hawaii? Want to know if drone flying is allowed in Hawaii? Find out here and find out if you’re eligible to fly one in the beautiful state of Hawaii!
Flying your drone at the beach can be an exciting experience you just can’t resist as a drone pilot. Vacationing on a tropical Island like Hawaii with your camera drone can give plenty of opportunities to capture shots of amazing sights and views.
You will also love the idea of taking aerial pictures of yourself seen in different actions at the beach.
If you are headed on a vacation to Hawaii, you might first land on the question of whether it is allowed to take your drone with you to the Island.
The good news that will get you to jump in ecstasy is that there are no laws that prevent you from taking a drone with you to Hawaii.
However, when you want to fly your drone in the Island, you need to follow the FAA’s drone rules. You must also understand and abide by the state and local drone laws in Hawaii.
Every state is free to enact its own drone laws. FAA drone rules are applicable across all states. So, Hawaii has its own independent drone laws which you are expected to follow once you are there with your drone.
If you do not violate any of the local and state drone laws in Hawaii and fly your drone only in approved areas, law enforcement personnel will never question flying a drone in Hawaii.
Can You Fly Drone In Hawaii?
Are you permitted to take a drone inside Hawaii?
Drones are widely used today for different purposes both commercial and recreational. Some people fly drones at the beach for entertainment and to take some pictures and videos of some great scenery.
Drone cameras are the best way to capture aerial videos to record your surfing expedition at the beach. Drones are a very common sight at the Hawaii beach. Before taking your drone to Hawaii, understand the rules and you will not be questioned.
Can you fly a drone at the beach in Hawaii?
If you want to take your drone on commercial grounds to Hawaii, the reasons could be many like taking professional photographs of the landscape or fulfilling some task related to your profession.
Especially such a need is very common among journalists or reporters who may want to survey the tropical Island or its beach.
The underline is that there are hundreds of ways to use your drone once you are at Hawaii. Whatever may be the purpose of using your drone, Hawaii is an incredible destination that offers something to every taste and reason.
Hawaii has some of the best sceneries on the earth to explore and capture digitally. Therefore, this is one of the favorite tropical Island vacation spots for many in the world.
It can be a great idea to take your drone to Hawaii on your next holiday trip as this place has got so much to give you in terms of breathtaking sceneries.
Hawaii also provides ample watersports activities at the beach for you to get engaged in and use your drone to capture the memories digitally.
FAA drone laws apply to all states equally. Hawaii has its own drone laws since every state is free to enact its own drone laws as per its exclusive needs and situations.
While flying a drone in Hawaii, you must follow the FAA rules. You also need to ensure that you do not violate the state drone laws in Hawaii.
Once you are ready to meet these conditions, you can happily fly a drone at the beach in Hawaii.
Drone laws in Hawaii you must know
Before dealing on the Hawaii-specific drone laws, let us first recapitulate the general drone laws issued by the federal government.
FAA drone laws apply throughout the US, which you must ensure to follow to be able to fly your drone in Hawaii. You must know that Hawaii is still a part of the US. Here I have listed both the general drone laws and local drone laws in Hawaii.
General drone laws in Hawaii
If you want to fly a drone that is heavier than 250 grams, you must register it with the FAA. There is no need to register drones that weigh lesser than 250 grams.
Ensure to fly your drone at or below 400 feet since there can be commercial airplane activities above but close to this height.
Always fly your drone within your line of sight. This means when your drone is at flight, you must be able to see it with your naked eyes and not need a camera or another aid to spot it.
Never fly your drone in restricted airspaces. Some of the places that are classified as restricted airspaces include the areas near airports, stadiums or sporting events, Washington DC, and security-wise sensitive spots.
You must not fly your drone close to any other aircraft. Flying drones within 5 miles distance from the airport is prohibited as per FAA drone rules.
Since there is the risk of crashing your drone on someone and injuring them, do not fly your drone near any groups of people.
Do not fly your drone close to any emergency response missions in progress in the events of natural disasters or fires. This is because your drone must not end up disrupting the emergency response efforts of the personnel involved.
Flying drones when you are under the influence of drugs or alcohol is not permitted and will invite serious legal actions if anything goes wrong.
The drone laws discussed above are some general rules given by FAA that are applicable throughout the US and hence you must not miss them out once you are in Hawaii.
Local drone laws in Hawaii
Besides complying with the federal drone laws that apply to all the states in the US, you also need to follow the local drone laws in Hawaii if you want to fly your drone on this island.
Hawaii drone laws prohibit launching your drone near any of the state parks here. This rule is similar to the law that you must not fly your drone in any of the national parks located on the mainland of US.
This law is framed on the idea that your drone must not disrupt or disturb the wildlife inhabiting these parks in any way
One another drone law you must follow while flying your drone in Hawaii is not to fly it in security-sensitive areas on the Island.
There are several government and military offices and establishments in Hawaii and you are not permitted to fly your drone near any of such institutions.
The Big Island in Hawaii has several restricted airspaces like state parks, volcano zones, and airports. Therefore, it is not possible to find a spot to fly your drone on the Big Island in Hawaii.
Some of the restrictions we have covered above may look like common drone laws observed in other states too.
However, the presence of several security-sensitive locations, state parks, restricted airspace, and other government and military establishments in Hawaii will make it very difficult to find a place to fly your drone in this island without breaking all of the drone laws applicable to Hawaii.
There are no specific laws preventing you to take your drone to Hawaii. However, you must exercise great caution about flying your drone in many places in this tropical island.
Before launching your drone anywhere in Hawaii, ensure that the place you have chosen to fly your drone does not come under any of the classifications we have discussed above.
Where can you fly your drone in Hawaii?
Hawaii’s long list of spectacular places has got so much to offer drone photos and videography. When you are in this incredible destination, you have access to create epic videos of your surfing adventures, kite surfing, kayaking, and many more.
The island’s stunning sunsets and pristine beach views are wonderful themes for filming. You can hope to get these shots in several places in Hawaii.
The underline in choosing a location to fly your drone in Hawaii is to check if it is restricted airspace. FAA has provided a b4ufly app for drone users to guide their flight planning.
This is a great tool to learn if you are allowed to fly your drone in a given spot in Hawaii with the help of a real-time map.
Some visitors say most of the places in Hawaii are restricted airspaces. Nevertheless, the truth remains that there are still a lot of places on the tropical island to explore with your drone where you are allowed to launch your flying companion. Here is a list of places in Hawaii where flying drones is permitted.
Oahu’s Sandy Beach State Park, Hanauma Bay, Waimea Waterfall, and Kaiaka Bay Beach
Maui’s Poolenalena Beach, Nakalele Blowhole, and Sweetheart Rock
Besides complying with all the drone laws we have discussed in this write-up, you must also ensure not to disturb the general public in any way. Your drone must not invade into anyone’s privacy.
Do you need to pass Part 107 to fly a drone in Hawaii?
Other states in the US have mandated passing the Part 107 licensure exam to be able to pilot a drone. As long as you intend to fly your drone in Hawaii for recreational purposes, you do not have to worry about passing these licensing tests.
Drone laws in Hawaii do not mandate carrying a Part 107 certification as long as the drone pilots are hobbyists and look forward to flying their drone for purely recreational purposes.
If you want to fly your drone for any commercial purpose in Hawaii, carrying Part 107 certification with you is mandatory. This is the document that officially attests to your abilities in remote piloting.
Even commercial pilots will not need to carry this certificate with them if they want to fly their drone only recreationally in Hawaii.
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Jon is a passionate photographer and videographer who has been flying DJI drones for over 5 years. He loves the freedom and creativity that comes with capturing aerial footage and the unique perspective it provides. Jon is always on the lookout for new locations to explore and capture with his DJI drones. His favorite DJI drone is the Mavic 2 Pro, which he uses to capture stunning 4K footage with its Hasselblad camera. Jon is always eager to share his knowledge and experience with other drone enthusiasts and is a member of several online drone communities. When he’s not flying his DJI drone, Jon enjoys hiking, camping, and spending time with his family.