Aerial Imagery in Butte, MT

Airports & LAANC Zones

• BTM — Bert Mooney Airport (Class D airspace, 3 miles south of downtown Butte, controlled airspace requiring LAANC for commercial drone ops within 5 NM)
• HLN — Helena Regional Airport (Class D airspace, 65 miles northeast, reference for regional cross-state operations)
• MSO — Missoula Montana Airport (Class D airspace, 120 miles northwest, reference for western Montana airspace coordination)
• BZN — Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (Class D airspace, 85 miles southeast, busiest airport in Montana reference)

Restricted Airspace

• Bert Mooney Airport (BTM) has Class D airspace extending from the surface to 8,300 feet MSL within 4 nautical miles of the airport. LAANC authorization is required for commercial drone operations within this controlled airspace. BTM is located just 3 miles south of downtown Butte, meaning much of the city center falls within the Class D surface area. The airport handles approximately 60,000 passengers annually with commercial service from United and Delta. Drone operators must use the FAA B4UFLY app or approved LAANC providers (Aloft, AirMap) for authorization before flying within the Class D surface area. BTM air traffic control tower frequency is 118.3 MHz.
• The Berkeley Pit and active mining superfund site on the east side of Butte is a restricted area for drone operations. The Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) and Montana Resources operate the active mining site adjacent to the Berkeley Pit, which is part of the Silver Bow Creek/Butte Area Superfund site. Drone flights over active mining operations, superfund remediation areas, and the Berkeley Pit viewing stand area are prohibited by property owners and may violate Montana Code Annotated § 45-8-207 (criminal trespass on critical infrastructure). The pit area also has helicopter monitoring flights for environmental sampling. Drone operators should maintain minimum 1,000-foot lateral distance from the pit rim and all mining infrastructure.
• The Continental Divide and surrounding mountain terrain create challenging wind and altitude conditions for drone operations. Butte sits at 5,538 feet elevation, and the surrounding peaks reach over 10,000 feet. High-altitude drone operations above 5,538 feet AGL are rare but density altitude effects on drone performance should be considered. The Homestake Pass area on I-90 east of Butte and the Pipestone Pass area south of the city have significant wind patterns that can affect drone stability. Commercial drone operators should check NOAA aviation weather forecasts and monitor wind conditions before conducting aerial mapping work in the mountainous terrain surrounding Butte.
• Our Lady of the Rockies statue and the East Ridge continental divide trail system attract large numbers of visitors. The 90-foot statue sits atop the Continental Divide at 8,510 feet, accessible via the Butte Anaconda Pacific Railroad. FAA Part 107 prohibits flying directly over non-participants. The East Ridge trail system and the Walkerville historic mining district above Uptown Butte have heavy pedestrian and ATV traffic during summer. Commercial drone operators conducting real estate or aerial imaging work in the historic Uptown district should be aware of the steep terrain, irregular lot boundaries, and the dense grid of historic mine shafts and headframes that create navigation hazards for low-altitude drone flights.
• St. James Healthcare hospital campus in central Butte has helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) operations. The hospital operates helicopter medical transport from a ground-level helipad. Drone operators should maintain awareness of HEMS flight corridors, especially during emergency medical calls. The FAA requires drone operators to yield right-of-way to all manned aircraft, including emergency helicopters. Commercial drone aerial imaging work near the hospital campus at 400 S Clark St should coordinate with hospital facilities management and monitor aviation radio frequencies (122.9 MHz) for HEMS activity.

Local Ordinances

Butte-Silver Bow operates under a consolidated city-county government and does not have a comprehensive drone-specific ordinance. Commercial drone operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Butte-Silver Bow Parks and Recreation Department requires authorization for commercial drone takeoff and landing on public park property, including Clark Park, Stodden Park, and the Butte Community Trail system. Operations near Bert Mooney Airport (BTM) require LAANC authorization for the Class D surface area within 4 NM of the airport. Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks requires permits for drone operations in state parks, including Lewis and Clark Caverns State Park 50 miles southeast and Bannack State Park 70 miles south. The Butte-Silver Bow Archives and the Butte Historical Society require permission for commercial drone photography of historic mining structures on the Butte-Anaconda National Historic Landmark District. Montana Code Annotated § 60-1-101 includes drones in the definition of aircraft, but the state defers to FAA authority for Part 107 commercial operations.