The Hudson River Exclusion Zone and Drone Operations

What Is the Hudson River Exclusion

The Hudson River Exclusion is airspace from the surface up to the overlying Class B floor, between the east and west banks of and overlying the Hudson River. It is governed by 14 CFR Part 93 Subpart W. This exclusion allows manned VFR traffic to transit without full ATC clearance into Class B airspace. It is a manned aircraft highway, not a drone corridor.

How Manned Aircraft Operate

Under 14 CFR Section 93.352:

• Southbound aircraft fly along the west shoreline (NJ side)
• Northbound aircraft fly along the east shoreline (Manhattan side)
• Transiting aircraft at or above 1,000 ft MSL up to Class B floor
• Local operations (sightseeing, news, law enforcement) below 1,000 ft MSL
• Aircraft self-announce at charted reporting points — no ATC communication

Why Drones Cannot Operate Here

LAANC ceiling is 0 ft AGL. The continuous density of manned aircraft operating under see-and-avoid makes drone operations an unacceptable collision risk. Under 14 CFR Section 107.37, the obligation to yield to all manned aircraft is practically impossible to satisfy here.

Traffic Types

• Commercial air tours (daily sightseeing helicopters)
• NYPD Aviation Unit patrol and response
• Television and radio news helicopters
• Emergency medical services
• Transiting helicopters and small planes between NJ and points north/south

Geographic Scope

The corridor is most active between the George Washington Bridge and the Battery. Manned aircraft altitudes can be as low as a few hundred feet MSL. Adjacent areas on both Manhattan and NJ sides are similarly affected.