Maine has no state drone license. Recreational pilots need the free FAA TRUST certificate, commercial pilots need a Part 107 certificate, and drones of 250 g or more must be registered with the FAA. Maine's own rules are mostly about land and hunting: state parks need a special activity permit, Acadia National Park and Baxter State Park ban drones, and using a drone to help hunt deer, bear or moose is illegal.
Do you need a drone license in Maine?
Not from the state. FAA rules apply:
- Recreational: pass the free TRUST test. Register with the FAA ($5, 3 years) if your drone weighs 250 g or more.
- Commercial: a Part 107 Remote Pilot Certificate and a registered drone.
- Airspace: Portland and Bangor have controlled airspace. Most of rural Maine is uncontrolled, but watch for floatplanes on lakes. Stay at or below 400 ft.
Maine state drone laws
- Hunting (12 M.R.S. 11216): using an aircraft, including a drone, to aid or assist in hunting bear, deer or moose is illegal. The Maine Warden Service has warned that using a drone to find a wounded animal can count too.
- Police drones (25 M.R.S. 4501): law enforcement needs approval to acquire drones and a warrant for most investigative use, and can't use weaponized drones.
- Privacy: Maine has no drone-specific privacy law for private pilots, but the general violation of privacy law applies to drone cameras.
- No preemption: towns can set rules for takeoff and landing on land they own.
Maine has no state critical infrastructure drone law or state drone registration.
Where you can fly in Maine
- State parks, historic sites and boat launches: the Bureau of Parks and Lands prohibits drones without a special activity permit, and commercial drone use there isn't allowed. Permits need liability insurance and approval from the regional office.
- Baxter State Park: the park's rules prohibit drones.
- Acadia National Park: banned, like every NPS unit. See drones at Acadia and Bar Harbor.
- Private forestland: much of northern Maine is privately owned. Get the landowner's permission.
- Lighthouses and beaches: many famous lighthouses sit in state or town parks. Check before you launch.
Before you fly in Maine
- Check airspace and TFRs in B4UFLY or Aloft.
- Confirm who owns the land. State parks, Baxter and Acadia restrict drones.
- Keep drones away from hunting in bear, deer and moose season.
- Carry your TRUST certificate or Part 107 card.
Coastal wind and fog roll in quickly, so keep the drone close and land with a healthy battery. A sub-250 g drone like the DJI Mini 4 Pro or Mini 5 Pro needs no recreational registration. Read the statutes at the Maine Legislature, and see drone laws by state for nearby states.
Rules current as of October 2026. This is general information, not legal advice.
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