Hospitals are one of the most common reasons UAS SkyCheck returns a caution or restriction warning, and one of the most frequently misunderstood. Here is a complete picture of what the restriction is, where it comes from, and how to handle it.
Why Hospitals Have Drone Restrictions
The restriction around hospitals is not primarily about privacy, though that concern exists too. It is about helicopter access.
Hospital helipads are active landing zones for medical helicopters. A drone in the flight path of an incoming or departing helicopter, especially during a trauma response, creates a direct collision risk. The consequences of interfering with a medical helicopter are severe in every dimension.
The FAA has designated hospital helipad areas as restricted airspace, and many hospitals have additional local ordinances extending the no-fly radius beyond the federal minimum. UAS SkyCheck flags both the FAA-designated zones and known local restrictions.
How Far Does the Restriction Extend?
There is no single universal answer, which is part of the confusion.
Federal restriction: Hospital helipads are generally protected under the same rules that apply to any helipad. You must not create a hazard to aircraft operations. The practical floor is roughly 400 ft horizontal radius from the helipad structure itself, but this is a minimum, not a maximum.
State and local ordinances: Many states and municipalities have enacted drone ordinances that extend no-fly zones around hospitals to 500 ft, 1,000 ft, or further. California, New York, Texas, and Florida have particularly active local ordinance layers on top of federal rules.
UAS SkyCheck's coverage: The dataset includes 487 hospital helipad restriction zones across all 50 states, DC, and US territories. Each zone has a radius derived from the applicable federal, state, or local rule. When a check returns a hospital restriction, the note field specifies the authority: FAA, state statute, or municipal ordinance.
What the Restriction Means in Practice
A hospital restriction from UAS SkyCheck does not automatically mean you cannot fly at all. It means:
Within the restriction radius: Flight is either prohibited outright or requires coordination with the facility. In most cases, flight directly over or adjacent to the helipad is prohibited with no waiver path available through LAANC.
Outside the restriction radius but nearby: You may be in the clear, or you may still trigger a caution based on proximity to Class B, C, or D airspace that covers the area. Check the full airspace classification for your specific coordinates, not just the nearest hospital.
Visibility and line-of-sight: Even if you are technically outside the restriction radius, you must be able to see your aircraft at all times under Part 107. If the hospital is large enough that your flight path would take you behind the building, plan accordingly.
Can You Get a Waiver?
In most cases, no. Hospital helipad restrictions are not waivable through LAANC. LAANC covers controlled airspace authorization for Class B, C, D, and surface Class E. Hospital helipad restrictions are a separate category based on obstruction to flight operations and safety.
If you have a legitimate commercial need to fly near a hospital (architectural photography, facility inspection, infrastructure work), the path is:
- Contact the hospital's facilities management or safety office directly
- Get written authorization specifying the approved time window, altitude, and area
- File a NOTAM with the FAA if your Part 107 certificate requires it for the specific operation
- Keep the authorization on your person during the flight
What UAS SkyCheck Shows You
When your planned location is near a hospital helipad, UAS SkyCheck will:
- Show the restriction zone on the interactive airspace map (orange or red radius circle)
- List the zone in the Restricted Zones section with the facility name, authority, and radius
- Factor the proximity into the 0-100 safety score
- Note whether LAANC authorization is available for your airspace class
The fact that UAS SkyCheck flagged a hospital does not mean the FAA has explicitly blocked your flight at that specific coordinate. It means the zone intersects your flight location and you should verify current status and any applicable local rules before flying.
Checking Before You Fly
The standard Part 107 preflight requirement includes checking for NOTAMs and TFRs that might specifically address temporary restrictions around medical facilities. Major events (mass casualty incidents, large outdoor gatherings near hospitals) can generate temporary TFRs with no advance notice.
Before any flight near a hospital:
- Run a UAS SkyCheck at your exact planned coordinates
- Check FAA NOTAMs for the area at notams.faa.gov or via the NOTAMs tab in UAS SkyCheck (Captain tier)
- Check for active TFRs -- emergency response operations generate TFRs that are not always announced in advance
- If the check returns a hospital restriction, read the note field for the specific authority and radius
Regulations referenced: 14 CFR Part 107, applicable state aviation statutes, and municipal drone ordinances as documented in the UAS SkyCheck restricted zone dataset (v18.28). Always verify current NOTAMs and TFRs before flight.