Can my kid fly a drone in Arlington, TX?

Short answer: Yes, but never near AT&T Stadium or Globe Life Field on game day, and check the airspace first.

Airspace near you

North Arlington sits under DFW Airport's controlled airspace, and south Arlington, near Arlington Municipal Airport, shows 0 feet through LAANC: don't fly there. Central and east Arlington, including the entertainment district, showed no controlled airspace at ground level in our checks. Check your address on B4UFLY.

Stadiums

The FAA puts a no-drone zone around big stadiums during major league and college football games, starting an hour before and ending an hour after. Texas law also bans flying under 400 feet over a stadium with 30,000+ seats.

Where to practice

Simulator first, then an open field away from the entertainment district and the airports. Ask Arlington Parks and Recreation before flying in a city park.

Before the first flight, anywhere in DFW

  1. Pass the TRUST test. It's free, online, and required by law for every recreational flyer. Carry proof when you fly. (FAA)
  2. Register it if it weighs 250 grams or more. $5, good for three years. Owners must be 13 or older; if your child is under 13, a parent registers it. (FAA)
  3. Stay at or below 400 feet in uncontrolled airspace, and keep the drone where you can see it. (FAA)
  4. Near an airport? Get permission first. Controlled airspace needs FAA authorization through LAANC before takeoff. The free B4UFLY app shows what's around you. (FAA)
  5. Know the Texas extras. Texas law bans flying under 400 feet over critical infrastructure, correctional facilities and stadiums with 30,000+ seats, and taking pictures of people or private property to surveil them. (Tex. Gov't Code ch. 423)

FAQ

  • Can my kid film the stadium from the parking lot? Not during events, and never below 400 feet over it under Texas law.
  • What about Six Flags? It's private property. Get the park's permission, and expect a no.
  • How do they know where the no-drone zones are? B4UFLY shows temporary flight restrictions, including game-day ones.

Learn it before they fly it.

The Liftoff Academy teaches kids 12–18 the FAA rules, how to read the airspace map and how to pass TRUST, before their first real flight. 10 self-paced modules, $69.

Start flight school tonight

Nearby: Flying in Fort Worth · Flying in Grapevine · All DFW cities