Where can you fly a drone in Maryland?

These are the places on DroneCompass where flying is allowed, and what each one asks of you. Every rule links to its source and shows when it was last verified.

Open to drones, with simple conditions

Follow FAA rules, check B4UFLY, and meet the conditions listed.

• PERMITTEDVERIFIED BY PHONE

  Patapsco State Park

  Fly at the Hollofield and McKeldin areas. Notify the duty ranger before you fly.

  Verified September 28, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

• SEASONAL

  Sandy Point State Park

  Allowed before Memorial Day and after Labor Day, 7am to dusk. Stay clear of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge unless you have separate clearance.

  Verified September 29, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

• CLUB FIELD

  Southwest Area Park flying field (Baltimore Co.)

  A dedicated radio-control flying field run by the Southwest Area Park Modelers, open 9am to dusk. Members need AMA membership plus club dues. Call ahead to ask about flying as a visitor.

  Verified October 1, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

Allowed with permission first

These places allow flights, but only after you ask. Plan ahead: some need days of notice.

• CALL AHEADVERIFIED IN WRITING

  Rocks State Park

  Get prior approval from park management. It’s granted case by case and covers Falling Branch (Kilgore Falls) and Hidden Valley too. Personal, non-profit photos and video only without extra approval.

  Verified October 8, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

• CALL AHEAD

  Swallow Falls State Park

  Get advance permission from park staff, per statewide DNR policy. There’s no cell service on site, so call before you go.

  Verified September 29, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

• RESTRICTED

  Frederick County Parks

  Only at five parks (Catoctin Creek, Kemptown, Middletown, Old National Pike, Utica District), and only after you submit a Special Request Form in advance.

  Verification date not yet recorded · Full rule, contacts & map

• CALL AHEAD

  NAS Patuxent River (St. Mary's Co.)

  Inside Pax River’s airspace (about 5 miles around the base’s airfields), you need permission requested at least 10 business days ahead. Never inside the base fence line.

  Verified October 1, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

• AUTHORIZATION

  BWI Marshall & Martin State airports

  Within 7 miles of BWI or 5 miles of Martin State, get FAA airspace authorization through LAANC or DroneZone. Most LAANC requests are approved almost instantly.

  Verified October 1, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

Seasonal limits

Rules that depend on the time of year or what’s happening nearby.

• SEASONAL

  Ocean City (beach & Boardwalk)

  No flying over the beach, Boardwalk, or crowds May 1 to September 30 without written town approval. Nearby Assateague Island bans drones entirely.

  Verified September 29, 2026 · Full rule, contacts & map

• EVENT-BASED

  Stadium airspace, statewide

  Temporary federal no-fly zones cover major stadiums from about an hour before to an hour after games.

  Verification date not yet recorded · Full rule, contacts & map

Where you can’t fly

Skip these unless you have the specific authorization each one requires.

• National Park Service sites: Launching, landing, or flying a drone is banned in every National Park Service unit, including Antietam, the C&O Canal, Assateague Island, Fort McHenry, Catoctin Mountain Park, and Fort Washington Park.
• Washington, D.C. area: No drone flights within 15 miles of Reagan National Airport without specific FAA authorization, which reaches into Montgomery and Prince George's counties.
• Baltimore City Parks: Model aircraft and drones prohibited except in areas the city specifically designates for it.
• Calvert County Parks: County code bars flying a drone in or above county park property without written authorization from the parks director.
• Fort Meade (Anne Arundel Co.): Flying a drone on the installation without authorization is unlawful.
• Correctional facilities, statewide: Flying a drone over a prison or jail to photograph or record it is a misdemeanor without authorization from the facility or the state corrections secretary, and so is using a drone to deliver contraband to anyone confined there.

Before any flight, check airspace in the FAA’s B4UFLY app, and follow FAA rules: stay under 400 feet, keep your drone in sight, and don’t fly over people. Rules change, so confirm with the source before you go. Know a place we’re missing? Use “Report a change” on any rule page.