Can You Fly a Drone at Pelham Bay Park in the Bronx?

Why Pelham Bay Park Is Off-Limits

Pelham Bay Park is the largest park in New York City, covering 2,772 acres in the northeast Bronx. Despite its vast size and more open character compared to other city parks, it is managed by NYC Parks and falls under the drone restrictions in NYC Administrative Code § 18-146 and 1 RCNY § 1-05(r)(2).

The ban covers all drone operations—recreational and commercial—regardless of drone size or weight. It applies to takeoff, landing, and flight within the park boundaries.

No Designated Field at Pelham Bay

Pelham Bay Park does not have a designated model aircraft field. NYC currently has five designated fields, none in the Bronx:

• Flushing Meadows Corona Park (Queens)
• Forest Park (Queens)
• Calvert Vaux Park (Brooklyn)
• Marine Park (Brooklyn)
• LaTourette Park (Staten Island)

Even the Open Areas?

Pelham Bay Park includes Orchard Beach, Pelham Bay Golf Course, extensive salt marshes, and wooded areas that might seem suitable for drone flying. However, the Parks ban makes no distinction based on how remote or open an area within the park appears—all Parks-managed land is covered by the restriction.

Airspace Considerations

The northern Bronx has somewhat more distance from LaGuardia Airport compared to the South Bronx, but the area remains within Class B airspace. LAANC grid ceilings should be checked for any potential flight locations outside of parks. Even non-park locations in this area require both LAANC authorization and an NYPD permit.

Legal Alternatives

If you want to fly in the Bronx area, your options include applying for an NYPD permit to use a non-park location (private property with owner permission, for example) or traveling to a designated model aircraft field in Queens or Brooklyn. The closest designated fields from the northern Bronx are in Queens.