Aerial Imaging Services in Grand Forks, ND

FAA Part 107 Requirements

All commercial drone operations in North Dakota require an active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate — every operator matched to Grand Forks projects is verified.

State Drone Laws

Grand Forks does not have a comprehensive city-specific drone ordinance, relying on FAA Part 107 regulations and North Dakota state law. Statewide, North Dakota drone law (N.D. Cent. Code § 2-01-01 (Aeronautics Commission authority); N.D. Cent. Code § 12.1-09.1 (surveillance of critical infrastructure); Grand Sky UAS test site designation (FAA UAS Test Site program)) sets the baseline for commercial operations — Part 107 rules apply on every Grand Forks job. Full North Dakota drone law →

Local Ordinances

Grand Forks does not have a comprehensive city-specific drone ordinance, relying on FAA Part 107 regulations and North Dakota state law. Commercial drone operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. The Grand Forks parks and recreation district requires authorization for commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned park property, including Elm Park, Riverside Park, and the Red River Trail access points. Operations near Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) require LAANC authorization for the Class D surface area within 4 NM of the airport. Grand Forks Air Force Base (GAF) is an active U.S. Air Force installation, so drone work near the base perimeter requires coordination with base security. North Dakota Century Code § 12.1-09.1 prohibits drone surveillance of critical infrastructure facilities without owner consent, particularly relevant for the Red River levees. The UND campus is university-controlled ground and requires a commercial filming or research permit from UND Office of University Communications for any drone work on campus.

Restricted Airspace

• Grand Forks International Airport (GFK) has Class D airspace extending to 4,000 feet MSL within 4 nautical miles of the field. LAANC authorization is required for commercial drone operations within the GFK Class D surface area. GFK is a regional commercial and general-aviation airport serving the eastern part of North Dakota and the western part of Minnesota. It also hosts one of the largest UAS test facilities in the United States — the Northern Plains UAS Test Site operated jointly with UND Aerospace and the FAA. Drone operators should monitor active test-site NOTAMs, as BVLOS and test programs routinely issue temporary flight restrictions over the valley.
• Grand Forks Air Force Base (GAF) is an active U.S. Air Force installation hosting the 324th Fighter Wing (324 FW), one of the peacetime air defense groups in the U.S. flying F-16 Viper jets. The base has a military traffic pattern that intersects with civilian airspace south and east of downtown Grand Forks. F-16 training sorties frequently fly the valley from south to north, so commercial drone operators should coordinate with GAF Non-Appropriated Fund and the local FAA FSS before any flight near the base. There is no permanent TFR over the base, but a temporary flight restriction is routinely issued during major exercises and F-16 training days.
• The Northern Plains UAS Test Site near Grand Forks is one of only several FAA-designated UAS Proving Grounds in the United States. It operates with Vantis, the Department of Homeland Security, and multiple DoD agencies testing beyond-visual-line-of-sight (BVLOS) operations, drone traffic management, and advanced air mobility. The test site has its own airspace reservations that override local LAANC. Commercial drone operators in the eastern Grand Forks valley should check active NOTAMs for test operations and coordinate with the UAS test site program office before any mission within the tested corridor.
• The Red River of the North floodplain through Grand Forks is a sensitive environmental corridor with levees and flood control structures managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the City of Grand Forks. The 36-foot-high levee system in the downtown area is a critical flood-risk infrastructure. During spring flood season (typically April through May), emergency helicopter operations and aerial flood monitoring create temporary TFR zones. FAA Part 107 prohibits flying over non-participants, and the river greenway (the Red River Valley Regional Trail and Devil Lake shoreline) attracts heavy pedestrian and recreational boat traffic. Commercial drone work near the river corridor should coordinate with the Grand Forks Public Works department and monitor aviation frequency traffic for HEMS activity.
• Sanford Medical Center Grand Forks and St. Johns Regional Health System operate heliport and HEMS activity. Both hospital systems operate air ambulance helicopter services with rooftop helipads. Drone operators should maintain awareness of HEMS corridors, especially during emergency medical calls. The FAA requires drone operators to yield right-of-way to all manned aircraft. Commercial drone imaging work near hospital campuses — including Sanford at 901 N Columbia and St. Johns at 200 42nd Ave S — should coordinate with hospital facilities management. UND Aerospace (the 2nd-largest UAS research lab in the US after NASA) also operates regular UAS test flights over the UND campus and the surrounding valley, creating additional low-altitude UAS traffic for operators to monitor.