Drone Laws Wisconsin [March 2023] [Rules & How To Register]

If you’re new to drones, you may not be sure where they’re allowed or not allowed. That’s understandable! The laws around drones are still being worked out in many places, especially when it comes to commercial use and flying near people or buildings.

Here’s what we do know about drone usage in Wisconsin, You can’t fly your drone above 400 feet or within 5 miles of an airport, You can’t fly over people’s private property without their permission. You must get permission from the FAA if you want to fly within 3 miles of an airport

In this article, we’ll go over some key points from the Wisconsin drone law: what kind of things you can do with your drone and what kinds of actions might get your drone confiscated or worse.

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Drone Rules In Wisconsin

You Can’t Fly Higher Than 400 Feet

The 400-foot limit is a good guideline for several reasons. It’s lower than the altitude at which many drones can fly safely, it keeps you below the altitude of most manned aviation traffic and it’s high enough that you can control your drone without worrying about crashing into other people or property.

If your drone has an altimeter, check its reading before flying to make sure it’s within the 400 foot limit. If not, find another place to fly!

If there are other pilots nearby who aren’t following this rule either but their drones have altimeters that work properly (and therefore display current height), stay away from them until they adjust their altitudes appropriately.

Related: Drone Laws Casa

You Can’t Fly Within Eight Miles Of An Airport

You Can’t Fly Within Eight Miles Of An Airport. You can’t fly within five miles of a heliport. You can’t fly within three miles of a military installation (like Fort McCoy).

You can’t fly within three miles of a nuclear power plant, like Point Beach Nuclear Plant on Lake Michigan near Two Rivers, WI.

No drone flight within 500 feet above dams or waterways and no drone flight over public outdoor assemblies (like concerts) unless approved by air traffic control or FAA officials

You Can’t Fly Near A Medical Emergency

The following is a list of things that you can’t fly over:

A medical emergency or car crash. You can’t fly within 3 miles of any disaster area (a fire, flood or other natural disaster). The same applies to any hospital or medical facility. You also can’t fly within 3 miles of a prison. And finally, you can’t fly within 3 miles from an airport.
An active military base. There are several exceptions for this one: if you have permission from the base commander; if your drone weighs less than 55 pounds; if your drone is operated by someone who has been certified by their employer as being trained on how to operate a UAS in accordance with 14 CFR Part 107; or if your drone operation meets one of these three criteria related to news gathering: To gather information on breaking news events; To gather information about weather conditions at the scene where it’s filming; or To help law enforcement agencies monitor and respond to emergencies

You Can’t Fly Within Three Miles Of A Federal Prison

It is a federal offense to fly within three miles of a federal prison. Do not do this! You could be fined up to $250,000 and receive up to one year in prison for violating this law.

You Can’t Fly Without The Drone In Your Sight At All Times

You can’t fly your drone if you can’t see it. If the drone takes off and you lose sight of it, you need to land it immediately.

This is because drones don’t have any way to communicate with their owners, so if they’re out of range of your controller or smartphone, they’ll just keep going away from you until they run out of battery power — or crash into something!

You’re Liable For Any Damage Caused By Flying Your Drone.

You can’t fly over people or vehicles.
You must be able to see the drone at all times, and you must not fly it within three miles of an airport without contacting the airport first.
If you break the law, you could be charged with reckless endangerment or endangering safety by air (depending on how egregious your violations were), which carry penalties of up to one year in jail and $10,000 in fines per violation.

Any Person Who Owns Or Operates An Unmanned Aircraft System

As the owner or operator of an unmanned aircraft system, you are liable for the damage caused by your drone’s operation to persons or property. You can’t use a drone to interfere with emergency responders.

A prison is off limits. You can’t fly over a prison while using an unmanned aircraft system, nor can you operate one within 5 miles of the grounds of a correctional facility without permission from the warden or superintendent.

School grounds are also off limits—you can’t operate an unmanned aircraft system over any school building without permission from the principal or other chief administrative officer responsible for general control and supervision of school activities at that location.

Drones Need To Be Used Carefully

Drones can be dangerous, and they can cause damage to people and property. Drones have been known to crash into people, cars, buildings and more.

In Wisconsin it is illegal for a drone to fly over or near a correctional facility or any other place where prisoners are housed (Wis. Stat. 947.055). It is also illegal for someone to shoot down another person’s drone (Wis. Stat. 947.069).

How To Register Drone In Wisconsin

Drones have a lot of fun and exciting uses, but one of the most important things to consider is how to register your drone in Wisconsin.

This can be confusing because it’s actually two different things: registering with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which is a federal registration requirement; and registering with the state of Wisconsin, which is required by law for hobbyists who operate drones within state boundaries.

Step 1: Get Your Drone And Aircraft Id

To register your drone in Wisconsin, you will first have to get an aircraft ID. This can be done at any time, but you should do it before purchasing a drone or beginning flight training if possible.

The FAA recommends getting an aircraft ID as soon as you purchase your drone so that it is ready for use when it arrives and so that registration can happen as soon as possible after receiving the drone.

To obtain an aircraft ID:

Go to myaircraftregistration.faa.gov and click on “Register Your Aircraft” under “Aircraft Registration.” This will take you to a second page where there is a “Create New Account” button at the top right of the screen (see screenshot).
Enter your email address and password then click on “Create Account.”

Step 2: Fill Out The Faa Registration Form

Fill out the FAA registration form.

Once you’ve completed your online order, the FAA will send you a confirmation email asking for your name, address and email address so they can send you paperwork to complete. The next step is to fill out the Registration Form 8610-4 that comes with it:

Fill in all of your information on page 1 (name, address, etc).
On page 2, select “Yes” from the question asking if you own more than one drone. If this is true for you then just check off “Additional Drones.”
Sign and date page 1 before mailing it to them.

Step 3: Pay The Registration Fee.

The FAA and Wisconsin DNR charge a $5 registration fee for drones that weigh more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams). You will also need to pay any applicable sales tax.

Step 4: Register Your Drone In Wisconsin.

You can register your drone online, by mail or at a drone event. You also have the option to register your drone at a local hobby store. The cost for all of these options is $6 per year, with free shipping included in that price. There are several advantages to registering your drone in Wisconsin:

It’s required by law!
The process takes less than 5 minutes and you’ll receive a confirmation email after completing it.
If your drone is ever lost or stolen while registered, law enforcement officials will be able to track it down easily because they’ll have access to its serial number and make/model information.

You Need To Get Your Drone Registered With Both The Federal Aviation Administration (faa) And Wisconsin.

The FAA has a registration system that you can use, but it’s not required. However, if you want to fly your drone outside of restricted airspace or on federal land, then you must register it before doing so.

Are Drones Allowed In Wisconsin

The state of Wisconsin has some of the best outdoor opportunities in the country. From forests to lakes, it’s a place where you can truly get away from everything and enjoy nature at its finest. And, if you’re looking for another way to explore this great state, drones are an excellent option!

However, there are rules and regulations that drone pilots must follow if they want to fly safely. In this article we’ll be going over what you need to know about drone laws in Wisconsin so that your next adventure doesn’t end with an arrest instead of a selfie (or worse).

Wisconsin Drone Laws Require Recreational Flyers

In Wisconsin, drone laws require recreational flyers to be at least 14 years old and to register their drone with the FAA. To do this, visit https://www.faa.gov/uas/

Since you must be at least 14 years old in order to purchase a new drone, keep in mind that there are age limits when it comes to flying one as well. It’s important for young pilots to understand these regulations so they can stay safe while finding out what makes drones so much fun!

Drones Weighing More Than 0.55 Lbs Must Be Registered With The Faa

If you purchase a drone weighing more than 0.55 lbs, it must be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Registration is free and can be done online.

If you plan on flying your drone recreationally—and most people do—you don’t need to register it with the FAA at all. However, if you want to fly for commercial purposes or operate an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) for public use, then registration is required.

Recreational Flyers May Not Fly Within Five Miles Of An Airport

A few things to keep in mind when flying your drone near an airport or airbase:

Contact the airport before flying within five miles of it. If you fly within five miles of an airport, you must contact air traffic control and follow their instructions. If you are not sure if you are within five miles of an airport, call the airport and ask them for their rules on recreational flyers.
Do not fly under power lines or near power plants. The FAA does not allow drones to be flown above 400 feet, so do your research before attempting any high-altitude flights in Wisconsin—this will help keep yourself safe from dangerous obstacles like power lines and wind turbines that could bring down your drone!

You Should Not Fly Your Drone At Night, Over Crowds Or In Restricted Airspace

You Should Not Fly Your Drone At Night, Over Crowds Or In Restricted Airspace.

Night flying is not allowed. If you are flying a drone after dark, you need to have permission from the FAA. You also must have a visual observer with you who can see the entire area that your drone is flying and can keep track of it at all times.
Overcrowded areas are off limits for drones because they pose too great a risk to people on the ground if an accident were to happen (and it would be hard for someone to even get away from a falling object if they were surrounded by people).
The only exception is if you’re flying within 400 feet of yourself and not over cars going by; this means that if there’s more than one person on their way toward each other along any given street/driveway/parking lot/etc., then they could get hurt by something coming down from above them (even though we wouldn’t recommend doing this anyway).

Frequently Asked Question (drone Laws Wisconsin)

Do I Have To Register My Drone If It’s More Than 55 Pounds?

Yes, you must register your drone if it weighs more than 55 pounds.

If you are planning to fly a drone that weighs more than 55 pounds, then you have some additional responsibilities regarding registration. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requires all non-recreational users of drones that weigh more than 55 pounds to register their aircraft before flying them outdoors.

Where Do I Register My Drone?

You can register your drone online at the FAA’s website. You may also register by mail or in person at a local FAA office, but the online registration process is the most common.

What Are The Penalties For Flying An Unregistered Drone In Wisconsin?

If you’re flying an unregistered drone, it can get you in trouble. In Wisconsin, fines for operating an unmanned aircraft system (UAS) are $100 for the first violation and $500 for each subsequent violation.

That’s not all: if you’re violating a temporary flight restriction (TFR), the fine is $5,000—and if your drone crashes into someone else’s property or causes damage to their property, that’ll cost you up to $10,000 in fines.

How Old Do You Have To Be To Register A Drone In Wisconsin?

You must be 18 years old and have a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) registration number to register a drone. You cannot register your drone without either your driver’s license or state ID card. You can use the same information you use when you register your vehicle with the DMV in Wisconsin.

Conclusion

The restriction on flying drones in Wisconsin is that they must stay below 400 feet in altitude. This isn’t an issue for most people who are just trying to take photos from above their own property, but it might be a problem if you’re trying to capture images of landmarks.

If you want to fly a drone in Wisconsin, it’s important to be aware of the laws that govern the use of unmanned aircraft systems. If you operate your drone responsibly and obey these rules, then you won’t have any problems with law enforcement.