Can You Fly a Drone at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx?

Van Cortlandt Park Drone Restrictions

Van Cortlandt Park in the northwestern Bronx is NYC’s third-largest park at 1,146 acres. It includes the Van Cortlandt Golf Course, extensive hiking trails, Tibbetts Brook, and wooded areas that extend to the Westchester County border.

Despite the relatively open and natural character of the park, NYC Administrative Code § 18-146 and 1 RCNY § 1-05(r)(2) ban drone operations on all NYC Parks property except at the five designated model aircraft fields. Van Cortlandt is not one of these designated sites.

What About the Golf Course or Playing Fields?

The Parks ban applies uniformly to all NYC Parks-managed land, including sports facilities, golf courses, playgrounds, and open meadows. The ban does not provide exceptions for specific areas within a park based on perceived openness or low foot traffic.

Airspace in the Northwest Bronx

The northwestern Bronx is farther from LaGuardia Airport than other parts of the borough, but it still falls within New York Class B airspace. LAANC grid ceilings may be higher in this area compared to the South Bronx, but authorization is still required before any flight. Use the B4UFLY app to check ceilings at specific locations.

Nearest Designated Fields

There are no designated model aircraft fields in the Bronx. The nearest options are in Queens:

• Flushing Meadows Corona Park (Queens)
• Forest Park (Queens)

Both fields are exempt from the NYPD permit requirement under 38 RCNY § 24-02(b)(1), though FAA requirements including LAANC and Remote ID still apply.

Alternative: Private Property with NYPD Permit

If you need to fly a drone in the Bronx outside of Parks property, you can apply for an NYPD Unmanned Aircraft Permit for a non-park location where you have property owner permission for the takeoff and landing site. Apply at nyc.gov/dronepermits at least 30 days in advance.