Best Places to Fly a Drone in Santa Fe, NM (2023)
Santa Fe is a beautiful city that most definitely looks charming from the air.
Whether you’re looking to get some solid b roll for your travel videos, understand the layout of the city better, or just bought a new drone and are bringing it on your trip, here are some excellent places to fly a drone in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Legalities of Drone Flying in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Before flying your drone in Santa Fe, NM it’s important to know the basic legalities of operating your aircraft.
As far as recreational/commercial flying goes there are some distinctions.
Recreational Flyers – For those flying drones under 250g, you do not need to register your drone. If your drone weighs more than 250g, you legally have to:
- Register your drone
- Complete The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)
- Abide by FAA rules for recreational flyers
Commercial Flyers – Abide by FAA regulations and understand what your FAA Part 107 License entails.
Important reminder: There are some truly amazing places here that you might want to aerially photograph, but you need to know that some of these spots are No Fly Zones for recreational & commercial flyers!
If you aren’t sure or you need to plan/check airspaces, use the Aloft Airspace Tool
Patrick Smith Park
Patrick Smith Park is a great place to fly if you want to capture some great shots of Santa Fe’s Sangre De Cristo Mountains.
With ample space to fly and stunning scenery, it’s an excellent option for drone flyers visiting Santa Fe
La Tierra Trails
La Tierra Trails is a stunning area primarily used for Mountain Biking and Hiking in Santa Fe. This area will give you excellent views of the mountains without any buildings or other obstacles to worry about when flying.
Please keep your distance and be cautious of bikers/hikers when operating here.
More Great Places to Fly A Drone in the City Different
With all the beautiful places in Santa Fe, you really can’t go wrong wherever you fly.
The most important thing to remember in the area is the legality and safety. There are a lot of highly condensed areas so that’s why the first few recommendations are more open spaces to ensure your not going to hit anything.
Other great places to fly your drone in Santa Fe:
- Railyard District – Great shots of the city with mountains in backdrop. (Be careful operating over people here)
- Cross of the Martyrs Hill – Amazing sunrise/sunset spot but can get busy with visitors. Excellent for downtown shots. Stay aware of people when flying here.