Senate Bill 1160 (2026)
- Prohibits flying a civil drone (anything other than strictly hobby or recreational use, so commercial, business, and media flights) within one mile (5,280 feet) of, or one mile above, a ticketed entertainment event without consent from the event.
- Covers music, sporting, and performing arts events at gated venues that are outdoors, have a retractable roof, or hold at least 1,000 people. A violation is a class 1 misdemeanor.
- Exempt: anyone with written consent from the event, venue and utility employees on official business, government employees on official duty, property owners flying over their own property within federal rules and not to monitor or interfere with the event, and the existing exemptions for FAA-authorized operators and first responders.
- Laws 2026, Chapter 215. In effect from September 12, 2026.
Senate Bill 1627 (2026)
- Makes it a class 3 misdemeanor for a hobby or recreational drone pilot to intentionally photograph or loiter 200 feet or less above a K-12 school property that is not zoned residential, while school is in session or school activities are taking place.
- It applies only after the property has posted no-entry notice and a peace officer, the owner, or the person in charge has told the pilot about the prohibition and asked them to leave.
- Laws 2026, Chapter 236. In effect from September 12, 2026.
House Bill 2875 (2026)
- Keeps Arizona's ban on city, town, and county rules about owning or flying drones, and extends it to commercial drone delivery.
- Local governments may still regulate their own drones, model aircraft takeoff and landing in parks they own, and land-use approvals for drone delivery sites in or within 150 feet of residential zones.
- Local governments may not withhold permits for drone or drone delivery operations in areas not zoned residential.
- Laws 2026, Chapter 116. In effect from September 12, 2026.
House Bill 4157 (2026)
- Moves the Advanced Air Mobility Fund to the Arizona Commerce Authority and adds a proving ground for autonomous systems and advanced air mobility to the duties of the Office of Defense Innovation.
- It creates no rules for drone pilots. Laws 2026, Chapter 129, in effect from September 12, 2026.
Senate Bill 1449 (2016)
SB 1449 was Arizona's first state-wide law regulating UAS operations in accordance with the state legislator and Department of Transportation. It amends Section 13-2904 of tHE Arizona Revised Statutes to add Section 13-3729; Relating to Unmanned Aircraft.
Among the more important points of SB 1449 are the following:
- UAS operations that interfere with law enforcement, firefighting, other operations of manned aircraft, or in any reckless manner that may endanger the life or property of another person are prohibited.
- UAS are not allowed to fly within 500 feet horizontal distance or 250 feet vertical distance from the physical boundary of a critical facility, unless written consent has been granted.
- UAS are not allowed to intentionally photograph or loiter over or near a critical facility
- Prevents any city, town, or county in Arizona from adopting any ordinance, policy, or rule that regulates the ownership or use of an unmanned aircraft. This does not apply to public UAS owned by the city, town, or county.
- Classifies reckless or careless operations of drones in a manner that endangers the life or property of another as a Class 1 misdemeanor.
The law also has a provision that requires the Department of Transportation to monitor FAA regulations on UAS to possibly repeal state laws. However, this section has been repealed since December 31, 2019.
Critical facilities include, but are not limited to:
- Power plants
- Hospitals
- Military installations
- Water treatment plants
- Oil and gas facilities
- Courthouses
Arizona State Pre-emptions
Arizona State Legislature maintains pre-emption for all rules and regulations that concern recreational and commercial drone use.
