Aerial Imaging Services in Clarksburg, WV

FAA Part 107 Requirements

Commercial flights over Clarksburg fall under FAA Part 107: the pilot must hold a current Remote Pilot Certificate. Network operators are checked before matching.

State Drone Laws

Drone rules in Clarksburg layer two ways: Clarksburg is governed by West Virginia drone law and FAA Part 107. plus West Virginia statewide UAS law (WV Code §17-16-1 et seq. (Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Act, 2017); WVDNR state park/forest drone permit rule; WVDOT UAV policy; 36 CFR 1.4 (NPS drone prohibition); WV Code §61-8-28 (surveillance/privacy); FAA Part 107; FAA LAANC) governing commercial flights. Full West Virginia drone law →

Local Ordinances

Clarksburg is governed by West Virginia drone law and FAA Part 107. The City of Clarksburg (Harrison County seat) requires permission for commercial takeoff and landing on city property, including downtown Harrison Street properties, the City Hall complex, and the Harrison County courthouse. The Elk River floodway and the Summersville Dam reservoir are state and federal property, so a commercial flight over either requires the relevant land authority clearance. Harrison County parks and the riverfront trails require a commercial permit from the county parks office. The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial area, downtown historic district structures, and any state-managed property require additional review if framed in a commercial shot. FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations, and LAANC is used only where a Class D surface is crossed.

Restricted Airspace

• Clarksburg is a small mountain town sitting in a valley on the Elk River, with the Summersville Dam reservoir to the north and Potomac Highlands to the south. Most of the urban area sits in uncontrolled airspace, but the North Central West Virginia (CKB) Class D surface and the Wade F. Maley Field approach corridor are the two controlled pieces to plan around on a mission. A LAANC authorization is required where that surface or shelf is crossed.
• The Summersville Dam reservoir is a large water body managed by the Army (TVA in this case, the Army Corps of Engineers) and its shoreline, spillway, and the reservoir drawdown zone are state and federal property. A commercial flight over the reservoir or its floodway requires prior permission from the appropriate state and federal land authorities. Part 107 privacy and overflight rules still apply even on a clear water mission.
• The Potomac River is the state boundary, and the western bank is West Virginia while the eastern bank is Maryland. Operators working across the river, or using the Martinsburg (MRT) Class D surface on the Maryland side, should confirm the appropriate state land authority for takeoff and landing. The Martinsburg approach corridor and the I-81 / I-79 corridor to the north carry heavier commercial and medevac traffic than the mountain back country.
• Mountainous ridgelines around the city, the Elk River floodway, and the state forests near town are high-wind and low-cloud areas. FAA Class D, Class E, and TFR / NOTAM checks are still required even in uncontrolled surface areas because military aviation (Army, Air National Guard) occasionally uses the valley and the river corridors. Part 107 rules on moving vehicles, nonparticipant groups, and privacy still apply across the whole town.