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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>78125</law_id><section_number>15.2-926.3</section_number><catch_line>Local regulation of certain aircraft</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2025/" slug="2025" current="TRUE" last_updated="">2025</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="1" identifier="15.2">Counties, Cities and Towns</unit><unit label="subtitle" level="2" order_by="1" identifier="II">Powers of Local Government</unit><unit label="chapter" level="3" order_by="1" identifier="9">General Powers of Local Governments</unit><unit label="article" level="4" order_by="1" identifier="1">Public Health and Safety; Nuisances</unit></structure><text>
						<section id="A"><p><span class="prefix-number">A.</span> No political subdivision may regulate the use of a privately owned, unmanned aircraft system as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use of unmanned aircraft systems by public bodies; search warrant required" href="/19.2-60.1/">19.2-60.1</a> within its boundaries. <a id="paragraph-280056" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-926.3/#A"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="B"><p><span class="prefix-number">B.</span> Notwithstanding the prohibition of subsection A, a political subdivision may, by <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation, regulate the take-off and landing of an unmanned aircraft, as defined in &#xA7; <a class="law" title="Use of unmanned aircraft systems by public bodies; search warrant required" href="/19.2-60.1/">19.2-60.1</a>, on property owned by the political subdivision. Such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation shall be developed and authorized in accordance with the rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Aviation (the Department). Such rules and regulations shall be in accordance with federal rules and regulations and shall include a process for adoption of an <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation, exemptions to the <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation, political subdivision training, and notification requirements. The political subdivision shall report to the Department any <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation adopted pursuant to this section, and the Department shall publish and update annually on its website, and any other website the Department deems appropriate, a summary of any such <span class="dictionary">ordinance</span> or regulation adopted. <a id="paragraph-280057" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-926.3/#B"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="C"><p><span class="prefix-number">C.</span> Nothing in this section shall permit a person to go or enter upon land owned by a political subdivision solely because he is in <span class="dictionary">possession</span> of an unmanned aircraft system if he would not otherwise be permitted entry upon such land. <a id="paragraph-280058" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-926.3/#C"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section>
						<section id="D"><p><span class="prefix-number">D.</span> Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit (i) the take-off or landing of an unmanned aircraft by a commercial operator in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations, or as deemed reasonable or necessary by private or public entities for emergency or maintenance support functions or services, including the protection and maintenance of public or private critical infrastructure; (ii) the landing of an unmanned aircraft by an operator in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration regulations as deemed reasonable or necessary by the operator in the event of a technical malfunction of an unmanned aircraft system; (iii) the take-off or landing of an unmanned aircraft being operated by a sworn public safety officer in the performance of his duties; or (iv) the take-off or landing of an unmanned aircraft owned or operated by the United States government, or any operator under <span class="dictionary">contract</span> with any agency of the United States government, in performance of his assigned duties. <a id="paragraph-280059" class="section-permalink" href="https://vacode.org/15.2-926.3/#D"><i class="fa fa-link"/></a></p></section></text><history>2016, c. 451; 2018, cc. 851, 852; 2020, c. 345.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
