Ohio § 4561.51 UAV operation and prohibitions

Ohio Statutes

§ 4561.51 — UAV operation and prohibitions

Ohio § 4561.51

Title 45Motor Vehicles-Aeronautics-Watercraft

Ch. 4561Aeronautics

This text of Ohio § 4561.51 (UAV operation and prohibitions) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook

Ohio Rev. Code Ann. § 4561.51 (2026).

Text

(A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, no person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in the air space over this state if the operation is prohibited by either federal law or federal regulations, including any federal aviation administration regulations.

(2)Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to a person authorized by the federal aviation administration to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in a manner that otherwise violates the federal law or regulations, provided that person's operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle complies with the terms of the administration's authorization.

(B)No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in a manner that disrupts, interrupts, or impairs the operations or activities conducted by law enforcement personn

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(A)(1) Except as provided in division (A)(2) of this section, no person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in the air space over this state if the operation is prohibited by either federal law or federal regulations, including any federal aviation administration regulations.

(2) Division (A)(1) of this section does not apply to a person authorized by the federal aviation administration to operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in a manner that otherwise violates the federal law or regulations, provided that person's operation of the unmanned aerial vehicle complies with the terms of the administration's authorization.

(B) No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle in a manner that disrupts, interrupts, or impairs the operations or activities conducted by law enforcement personnel, fire department personnel, or emergency medical services personnel while such personnel is on duty.

(C)(1) No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle system to photograph, record, or loiter over or near a critical facility with purpose to further another criminal offense, the elements of which involve causing physical harm to another person or causing another person to believe that the offender will cause physical harm to that person.

(2) No person shall operate an unmanned aerial vehicle or an unmanned aerial vehicle system to photograph, record, or loiter over or near a critical facility with purpose to destroy or tamper with the facility.

(D)(1) Whoever recklessly violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a fourth degree misdemeanor.

(2) Whoever knowingly violates division (B) of this section is guilty of a first degree misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony of the fifth degree on subsequent offenses.

(3) Whoever purposely violates division (C)(1) of this section is guilty of a first degree misdemeanor on the first offense and a felony of the fifth degree on subsequent offenses.

(4) Whoever purposely violates division (C)(2) of this section is guilty of a felony of the third degree.

Last updated March 20, 2025 at 2:24 PM