Can my kid fly a drone in Fort Worth, TX?

Short answer: Yes, but Fort Worth has more airports than any other DFW city, so planning comes first.

Airspace near you

Downtown and north Fort Worth are inside Meacham Airport's controlled airspace (LAANC approvals as low as 100 feet). Far north Fort Worth is under Alliance, and the area around NAS JRB Fort Worth, a military base, is controlled too. Parts of west, east and southeast Fort Worth showed no controlled airspace at ground level in our checks. Check every new spot on B4UFLY.

City parks

Rules can differ park by park. Call Fort Worth Park & Recreation before flying in a city park, and fly only where they say it's allowed.

Where to practice

Simulator first, then open private land with the owner's OK, outside controlled airspace or with LAANC authorization.

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 fly near the military base? No. Stay well clear of NAS JRB Fort Worth.
  • What about Texas Motor Speedway? It's a no-drone zone during races, and Texas law bans flying under 400 feet over a 30,000+ seat venue.
  • Is the Trinity Trails area OK? Parts are near Meacham's airspace and city park land. Check B4UFLY and the city's park rules first.

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 Arlington · Flying in Keller · All DFW cities