Part 107 in Wisconsin: No Local Drone Rules
Wisconsin bars cities, villages, towns and counties from regulating private drone operation, and makes flying a weaponized drone a felony.
Wisconsin keeps drone rules at the state level. Under Wis. Stat. §114.105(4)(b), no city, village, town or county may regulate the ownership or operation of a drone, except to limit its own use of drones. The state adds two drone-specific criminal and police rules: operating a weaponized drone is a Class H felony, and police generally need a warrant to use a drone where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy.
What can a Wisconsin local government regulate?
§114.105 draws the line:
| Local governments may | Local governments may not |
|---|---|
| Limit their own use of drones | Regulate the ownership or operation of drones by others |
| Adopt aviation ordinances in strict conformity with state law | Adopt aviation ordinances contrary to state or federal law |
On our reading, a city ordinance that bans or licenses commercial drone flights by private operators is therefore outside what §114.105 allows. Rules that are not about drone operation, such as access to public buildings or parks, are a different question.
What does Wisconsin criminalize?
- Weaponized drones. §941.292 says whoever operates a weaponized drone is guilty of a Class H felony, with an exception for members of the armed forces or National Guard acting officially.
- Police use. §175.55 bars Wisconsin law enforcement from using a drone to gather evidence in a criminal investigation where someone has a reasonable expectation of privacy without a search warrant, with exceptions such as public places and search and rescue.
The weaponized drone felony is separate from the federal rules, which ban armed drones without FAA authorization, as the federal weapons rule post explains. Part 107 also limits what you may carry and drop: hazardous material is barred outright, and dropping objects must not create an undue hazard. See the dropping objects post.
How does Wisconsin compare with its neighbors?
Michigan also stops local drone regulation and expressly allows FAA-authorized commercial flights. Illinois targets a specific misuse, interfering with hunters. Wisconsin's approach is closest to Michigan's.
What federal rules matter most in Wisconsin?
Milwaukee and Madison both have Class C airspace, so city work often needs authorization under §107.41 through LAANC. Winter flying brings cold-battery and icing risks; the maintenance and preflight post covers the condition-for-safe-operation duty, and §107.23 bars careless or reckless operation.
What this means for the exam
Wisconsin law is not on the FAA knowledge test. The Part 107 rules on carrying and dropping objects, which the weaponized drone law echoes, are.
Other states are compared in the state drone laws guide.
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