Aerial Imaging Services in St. Albans, VT

FAA Part 107 Requirements

All commercial drone operations in Vermont require the pilot to hold an active FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate. Our network operators are verified Part 107 holders.

State Drone Laws

Vermont does not have a comprehensive standalone state drone law or commercial drone licensing framework. The Vermont Legislature passed Act 70 (2015, S.155), which established a study committee on unmanned aerial vehicles and privacy but did not enact a regulatory framework — the committee recommended reliance on existing privacy statutes and FAA Part 107 for commercial operations. Vermont follows FAA Part 107 preemption on airspace regulation, meaning municipalities cannot enact their own airspace rules but may regulate takeoff and landing on public property. The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation prohibits drone takeoff and landing in all state parks without a special use permit issued by the parks regional manager. Vermont state forests and wildlife management areas also restrict drone operations during nesting seasons. The Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans) requires notification for drone operations within 500 feet of state highways and bridges for infrastructure inspection projects. Burlington International Airport (BTV) has Class C airspace with LAANC authorization available. No state-level drone registration is required — all commercial operators must hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and register their aircraft with the FAA. Vermont privacy statutes (12 V.S.A. Chapter 200) apply to surveillance activities, and operators should avoid capturing images of private property where a reasonable expectation of privacy exists.

Local Ordinances

St. Albans follows Vermont state drone rules and FAA Part 107. The town manages public land launches and requires site permission for commercial work on municipal land, and state and national forest tracts around the town carry their own filming and access permissions. Any commercial work on state-managed property requires the relevant state authorization. Operators should confirm FAA Part 107 compliance and the BTV Class C airspace for any southbound flight, and verify current town planning-board rules for any commercial launch in the downtown Champlain Valley corridor.

Restricted Airspace

• Franklin County State Airport (FSO) in adjacent Swanton is the nearest local airfield and operates uncontrolled airspace, so no LAANC surface is required to fly around it. That makes it one of the more airspace-friendly launch zones in the region.
• The Burlington International Jetport (BTV) Class C airspace is the dominant controlled volume for the broader area. If a flight from St. Albans heads south toward Burlington, the operators will cross into the BTV Class C outer shelf where LAANC is required.
• The St. Albans area sits on the Lake Champlain shoreline, roughly 15 miles from the United States and Canada border. International boundary crossings and controlled approach corridors near the Champlain Valley make this a flight-rule aware area for any commercial flight.
• The Champlain region is one of the most densely populated parts of northwestern Vermont, and the I-89 / US 1 corridor through the Upper Valley draws heavy road and occasional low helicopter traffic. Water, marina, and shoreline areas are high-caution over-flight zones, and state and national forest tracts around the town carry their own filming permissions.