In the FAA's airspace data, downtown Phoenix and Phoenix Sky Harbor International lie in the surface area of the Phoenix Class B, which tops out at 9,000 feet MSL. Around the edges of the city, Phoenix Deer Valley and Scottsdale have Class D airspace up to 4,000 feet MSL, and Glendale Regional and Phoenix Goodyear have Class D up to 3,000 feet MSL.
Arizona Revised Statutes 13-3729 asks drone flights to follow federal aviation rules and to stay clear of law enforcement, firefighting and emergency operations. It also addresses commercial drones within 5,280 feet of, or 5,280 feet above, a ticketed music, sports or performing arts event, which then need written consent from the person in charge of the event. The statute states that it does not apply to an operator authorized by the FAA when the flight follows that authorization or FAA rules.
Under Arizona Revised Statutes 9-500.55, Arizona cities and towns generally cannot adopt their own drone rules, with a few exceptions, one of which covers takeoffs and landings of hobby model aircraft in city parks and preserves. Phoenix's Parks and Recreation Department designates drone-use parks such as Coyote Basin and El Prado Park and asks pilots there to follow city code as well as state and federal rules.
In controlled airspace (Class B, C or D, or the surface area of Class E around an airport), section 107.41 of the FAA's Part 107 rule requires prior authorization from air traffic control. The FAA grants it through LAANC, in near real time at the altitudes shown on its UAS Facility Maps, or through FAADroneZone.
Summary of the official pages listed below, read on 11/14/2026.
