Aerial Imaging Services in Wyomissing, PA

FAA Part 107 Requirements

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

State Drone Laws

Pennsylvania regulates drone operations under Act 164 of 2018, which establishes a framework for lawful unmanned aircraft use while prohibiting drone surveillance of private property without consent and restricting flights over critical infrastructure. The law prohibits using drones to conduct surveillance of individuals in private settings, defines penalties for reckless operation, and restricts drone use for hunting-related activities. Pennsylvania does not require a separate state-level commercial drone license, but all commercial operators must hold an FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate, register their aircraft with the FAA, and maintain visual line of sight. Act 164 specifically prohibits drone flights within 250 feet of a person, vehicle, or structure without consent when the operator is operating outside FAA-authorized commercial operations. The Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) requires a permit for commercial drone operations in state parks and state forests. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have additional local restrictions — Philadelphia prohibits drone takeoff and landing in city parks without a permit. Law enforcement agencies may use drones for search and rescue, accident reconstruction, and emergency response under documented policies.

Local Ordinances

Wyomissing runs as a borough with no standalone commercial drone ordinance, so FAA Part 107 and Pennsylvania Act 164 set the baseline. Borough parkland along the Schuylkill requires a permit for commercial takeoff and landing. Reading Avenue and West Wyomissing Boulevard are dense pedestrian corridors, so launch from private or client property instead of trail edges. PA DCNR permits cover commercial flight in state parks or forests along the Schuylkill. On the active US 422 bypass zones, clear the launch with the general contractor and PennDOT District 5 before rolling equipment out.

Restricted Airspace

• Reading Regional Airport (RDG) controls Class D airspace from the surface to roughly 2,800 feet MSL. Any commercial mission inside that ring, mapping the I-476 corridor on the western borough edge, for instance, needs LAANC approval before wheels-up. RDG runs general aviation and helicopter traffic, so watch local patterns when staging close to the field.
• The Schuylkill River walks the northeastern edge of the borough and feeds the river trail system in downtown Reading. Trail access points and boat ramps pack with people on weekends. Part 107 bars flight directly over bystanders, so keep low passes off the trail and launch from client property set back from the launch ramp. Winter brings roosting waterfowl into the corridor, hold sensible altitude and steer clear of the roosts.
• West of the river sits the former Schuylkill Arsenal site and other federal property. Standard military-area caution applies: respect marked restricted areas and the day NOTAMs. Berks County also supports small airfields and heliports used by corporate and EMS aircraft, pull B4UFLY and local NOTAMs before every paid job.
• Pennsylvania Act 164 caps low-altitude work near crowds: nothing within 250 feet of people, vehicles, or structures without their consent. The West Wyomissing retail strip and Reading Avenue pull dense foot traffic through the summer, take off from private commercial ground and skip the open plazas entirely.
• I-176 and US 422 (West Shore Bypass) carry heavy truck and commuter volume through the borough. Overhead passes for bypass construction monitoring are a standing request, hold visual line of sight, respect the 400-foot ceiling where the terrain allows, and walk the ground crew through the plan before each session.