Can You Fly a Drone in Long Island City, Queens?

Long Island City Drone Rules

Long Island City (LIC) is a rapidly developed neighborhood in western Queens, directly across the East River from Midtown Manhattan. Its skyline views and waterfront location make it attractive for aerial photography, but NYC Administrative Code § 10-126 applies in full. Every drone takeoff and landing in LIC requires an NYPD Unmanned Aircraft Permit through 38 RCNY Chapter 24.

Waterfront Parks and Gantry Plaza

LIC’s popular waterfront spaces—including Gantry Plaza State Park, Hunters Point South Park, and the East River esplanade—are managed as public parkland. Under § 18-146, drone operations on NYC Parks property are banned except at the five designated model aircraft fields, none of which are in LIC.

Note that Gantry Plaza State Park is managed by New York State Parks, adding state-level property restrictions on top of city rules.

Class B Airspace Near LaGuardia

LIC is located roughly 3–4 miles from LaGuardia Airport, well within the Class B airspace surface area. LAANC grid ceilings in this part of Queens are often very low or at 0 ft AGL. Operators should verify exact ceilings using the FAA’s B4UFLY app before planning any operation.

When the grid ceiling is 0 ft, the only path to airspace authorization is a manual request through FAA DroneZone, which can take 90 or more days for complex requests.

Compliance Checklist for LIC

1. Hold a valid FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate
2. Check and obtain LAANC authorization for your specific location
3. Apply for an NYPD permit at nyc.gov/dronepermits ($150 fee, 30-day lead time)
4. Maintain insurance at $2M/$4M minimums per 38 RCNY § 24-06
5. Broadcast Remote ID per 14 CFR Part 89
6. File community notification 48 hours before flight if capturing images or video