Aerial Imagery in White Plains, NY

Airports & LAANC Zones

• HPN — Westchester County Airport (Class D airspace, located within White Plains city limits — busiest corporate aviation airport in the Northeast with heavy business jet, turboprop, and helicopter traffic; LAANC available)
• LGA — LaGuardia Airport (Class B airspace, approximately 18 NM south — major NYC commercial airport; LAANC required for Class B shelf areas)
• JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport (Class B airspace, approximately 28 NM south — major international hub; LAANC required)
• EWR — Newark Liberty International Airport (Class B airspace, approximately 30 NM southwest — major international hub; LAANC required)
• TEB — Teterboro Airport (Class D airspace, approximately 22 NM west in New Jersey — high-volume corporate GA airport; LAANC available)

Restricted Airspace

• Westchester County Airport (HPN) has Class D airspace with a 4.5 NM radius surface area. The airport is located within White Plains city limits, meaning most of the city falls within the HPN Class D lateral boundaries. Commercial drone operations within the HPN Class D require LAANC authorization. HPN is one of the busiest corporate aviation airports in the Northeast, with heavy business jet, turboprop, and helicopter traffic. The airport is a major base for corporate flight departments serving Fortune 500 companies headquartered in Westchester County, including PepsiCo, IBM, Mastercard, and Regeneron. Drone operators in White Plains should expect frequent low-altitude helicopter and jet traffic.
• LaGuardia Airport (LGA) Class B airspace is approximately 18 NM south. The LGA Class B surface area has a 5 NM radius and outer shelves extending northward over the Bronx and southern Westchester. While White Plains is generally outside the LGA Class B surface area, the outer shelves may extend over southern White Plains. Commercial drone operators should check the FAA B4UFLY app for LGA Class B shelf boundaries. LAANC authorization is required for any flight within the LGA Class B lateral boundaries.
• The I-287 corridor and the Westchester County Center area have frequent helicopter traffic including corporate shuttles, news, medevac, and State Police helicopters. The Westchester County Airport is a major helicopter base, and flight corridors extend along the I-287, the Hutchinson River Parkway, and the Bronx River Parkway. Drone operators flying near downtown White Plains, the County Center, and the highway interchange should maintain situational awareness of low-altitude helicopter traffic at all altitudes below 500 feet.
• The Bronx River Parkway reservation and the Tibbetts Brook Park area are managed by Westchester County Parks and have moderate helicopter and small aircraft traffic. The Saw Mill River Parkway corridor and the Bronx River Greenway trail run through White Plains and are managed by multiple agencies. Commercial drone operations over these park corridors require authorization from the Westchester County Parks Department and awareness of low-altitude helicopter traffic using the parkway corridors as visual flight routes.
• White Plains is approximately 35 NM south of West Point Military Reservation (United States Military Academy). While restricted area R-5302A/B over West Point does not directly affect White Plains airspace, commercial operators traveling to projects in the broader Hudson Valley region should check NOTAMs for West Point TFRs during military exercises or VIP visits. The Stewart Air National Guard Base at Stewart International Airport (SWF) in Newburgh, approximately 35 NM north, has military operations areas that can affect northern Westchester airspace.

Local Ordinances

White Plains is governed by New York state drone law (NY Penal Law 250.55) and FAA Part 107 regulations. The City of White Plains does not have a specific municipal drone ordinance as of 2026, but commercial drone takeoff and landing on city-owned property requires authorization from the White Plains Department of Recreation and Parks. City parks including Delfino Park, Gardella Park, Liberty Park, and the Bronx River Parkway reservation require explicit permission for commercial drone operations. The White Plains downtown business district and the Galleria at White Plains area are mixed-use zones where commercial drone operations require coordination with property owners and the White Plains Building Department. Westchester County parks (including Tibbetts Brook Park and the Bronx River Parkway reservation within White Plains) require a commercial use permit from the Westchester County Parks Department. Commercial drone filming for movies, TV, or advertising requires a film permit from the Westchester County Film Office and coordination with the White Plains Police Department. New York State parks require a permit under 9 NYCRR 375.1. FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification is required for all commercial operations. LAANC authorization is required for flights within HPN Class D airspace, which covers most of White Plains.