Best Places to Fly
Your Drone in Richmond

The 7.5-acre Monroe Park takes its name from the fifth US president, James Monroe. It’s also the oldest recreational space in Richmond. You can find this idyllic spot just one mile northwest of Virginia’s State Capitol Building. Renovations in 2018 have seen several enhancements to the property returning the grounds to the original 1877 design. Drone pilots enjoy filming here due to the scenic open spaces and views of the Richmond skyline.

Three Lakes Park & Nature Center offers features that relate to air, water, and land. The 6500-sq. ft. facility has a range of interactive displays that give visitors hands-on experiences. There’s a 50,000-gallon fisheye-view aquarium, plants, and animals in the Nature Center. It’s also a beautiful space as well as a fun and educational center. People can enjoy the mature, shaded wooded areas, scenic trails around the three lakes, picnic areas, and a playground for kids.

Drones are welcome here, but the authorities do ask users to be mindful of others. They also request that drones launch and land only from the less-occupied open fields.

Brown’s Island Park is the perfect place to take in views of the James River as it flows through downtown Richmond. The island is an open green space sandwiched between the river and Haxall Canal. The views are even more spectacular because of the old and new bridges. Drone pilots into urban parks, waterways, and modern city skylines are never disappointed.

This park is the final stretch of a 52 mile trail that connects Virginia's capital city, Richmond, with it's colonial capitals of Jamestown and Williamsburg. This park is surrounded by dense foliage which makes it challenging to find suitable places to takeoff and land. There is one small field that has enough space though.

This park is on the banks of the scenic James River. There are beautiful trails that follow the banks of the river and plenty of places for fishing.