A drone hovers over the pool at 11 AM on a Saturday. Mothers below grab their kids. A YouTuber walks the bathhouse with a gimbal-mounted camera narrating the experience for whatever follower count they are building. A wedding photographer shows up Sunday morning, sets up a shoot in front of the playground, and tells the curious manager they are "just borrowing the spot for an hour." Three years ago, none of these were daily problems at independent parks. Today they are. Most parks do not have a policy. The version below covers all three, sets the line between guests photographing their families (always fine) and commercial production (always needs a permit), and gives the park something to point to when the drone is in the air.
Why the policy is needed now
Three trends collided in the last five years. Consumer drones got cheap and easy enough that many RV families travel with one. Short-form video monetization (YouTube, TikTok, Instagram Reels) made every campground a potential content backdrop. Drone privacy expectations among guests are rising at the same time. The combination is producing situations parks did not have to think about a decade ago, and the parks that ignore it are creating exposure they do not know they have.
The fix is a policy that does three things. Sets clear rules for recreational drone use by guests. Forbids commercial use without a written permit. Protects guest privacy without restricting personal photography that nobody complains about.
What the recreational drone rules should actually say
Most guests with a drone want a sunset shot of their site, or a quick aerial of the lake at the back of the park, or some footage of their kids in the kayak. None of that is unreasonable. The rules just need to make clear what is allowed and where the lines are. Operator is the registered guest, 14 or older. Daylight hours only. Maximum altitude 100 feet AGL within park airspace. No operations within 100 feet of any other occupied site, the pool, the bathhouse, or the playground. No filming of identifiable persons without their consent. Park management can suspend operations at any time.
That last clause matters more than people realize. It is the clause that lets you say "not today" without arguing about which specific rule the camper broke. Conditions change. Wildlife is sensitive. A nearby wildfire restriction may apply. The blanket discretion clause keeps the park out of debate.
The prohibited list is where the real exposure lives
| What needs to be prohibited explicitly | Why |
|---|---|
| Operation during any no-fly notice or TFR | Wildfire and emergency airspace restrictions are common in the West. |
| Recording any guest or staff member without consent | Civil and criminal exposure in most states. Park's exposure too if it allows. |
| Flying over wildlife in a way that disturbs it | Federal law (Migratory Bird Treaty Act) and state wildlife code can apply. |
| Carrying or deploying any payload | FAA rules, plus the obvious risk if a package falls from 80 feet. |
| Flying over a posted boundary onto private adjoining property | The neighbor down the road is a trespass case waiting to happen. |
Field note: The single best piece of operational advice on drones is to require registration at check-in. Drone make, model, FAA registration number (any drone over 0.55 lb has to be registered). The 60-second form at check-in does two things. It establishes that the park knew about the drone (which matters for any incident). And it puts the burden on the operator to acknowledge they read the policy before the drone leaves the case.
Personal photography versus commercial photography
Guests taking family pictures at their site, filming their kids in the pool, vlogging about their stay for a personal travel channel that does not monetize, photographing the campfire at night. All fine. No permit needed. The park does not police personal use.
The line is commercial intent. Paid photo sessions, brand-partnership shoots, monetized YouTube or TikTok content created on park property, wedding photography, feature or documentary filming, advertising production. All require a written permit issued in advance, a per-shoot fee, and a certificate of insurance naming the park as additional insured. The reason is not gatekeeping. It is liability. A commercial crew that breaks a sprinkler head or hurts themselves on a wet deck is a different insurance conversation than a guest doing the same thing. The permit and the COI are what handle it.
The wedding photographer who shows up on Sunday
This is the most common version of the commercial-use problem. They are friendly. They say they will be quick. They have a couple with a flower bouquet standing on the playground. The right move is not to say yes. The right move is to politely walk them through the commercial permit application, explain the COI requirement, quote the fee, and let them either set it up properly for next time or pack up today. Saying yes once, with a casual handshake, is what teaches the local wedding industry that your park is a free venue. Saying no, professionally, with a real application process they can come back through, is what keeps the park out of the unlicensed-event business.
Free template: drone and photography policy (PDF)
The PDF below covers the recreational drone rules, the at-check-in drone registration form, the prohibited-operations list, the personal-photography paragraph, the commercial photography section with a permit application worksheet, the insurance requirement, and signature blocks. Post the drone-rules section visibly near the office. Hand the commercial section to anyone who shows up with professional camera gear.
Legal disclaimer
Drone operations are regulated by the FAA at the federal level (Part 107 for commercial, Part 44809 for recreational) and increasingly by state and local law. Photography rights in public versus private property vary by state. The template is a starting point. A licensed attorney in your jurisdiction must review and adapt it before posting. Confirm specific commercial-permit requirements with your insurance broker.
About the author
Sean Hakes is the founder of Campground Management. He has spent the last decade watching independent parks navigate the slow rise of drones, monetized content, and the quietly growing list of policies that come with both. Send him a note if you want a hand adapting the drone and photography policy for your park.
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