Drone Laws in Tennessee: TCA 39-13-903, Oak Ridge Nuclear, BNA Class C, and Music City Filming

Tennessee has become one of the more active states for commercial drone operations, driven by a strong music industry production market in Nashville, significant infrastructure inspection demand along the Tennessee Valley corridor, and growing real estate photography across the state. The regulatory environment includes a drone-specific surveillance statute, multiple controlled airspace environments, and a permanent nuclear facility TFR that affects operations in the eastern part of the state.

Federal Rules Apply Throughout Tennessee

FAA regulations govern all drone operations in Tennessee:

• Part 107 certificate required for commercial operations
• LAANC authorization required in Class B, C, D, and applicable Class E airspace
• 400 ft AGL altitude limit in uncontrolled airspace
• Anti-collision lighting required for night operations
• Remote ID required for all drones 250g and above

Check airspace classification and LAANC availability for any Tennessee location at uas-skycheck.app before flying.

Tennessee Drone Surveillance Statute (TCA 39-13-903)

Tennessee Code Annotated 39-13-903 makes it a Class A misdemeanor to use a drone to conduct surveillance of an individual on private property without that person's consent, or to use a drone to capture images of a person in a place where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Criminal exposure: A Class A misdemeanor in Tennessee carries a potential sentence of up to 11 months and 29 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

Critical infrastructure prohibition: Tennessee Code Annotated 39-14-406 separately prohibits using a drone to photograph or surveil critical infrastructure -- power generation and transmission facilities, water treatment plants, and similar assets. Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) operates extensive power generation and transmission infrastructure across the eastern half of the state. TVA facilities are critical infrastructure under TCA 39-14-406, and drone surveillance of these facilities is a criminal offense independent of the general privacy statute.

Commercial operator context: TCA 39-13-903 is primarily aimed at voyeuristic surveillance rather than commercial aerial photography. However, operations near residential properties in dense suburban neighborhoods -- particularly roof inspections, real estate photography, and construction monitoring adjacent to homes -- create exposure when footage captures individuals in private spaces.

Nashville International Airport (BNA)

Nashville International has Class C airspace extending across Davidson County and into portions of the surrounding counties. The Class C floor varies significantly across the coverage area.

For drone pilots:

• LAANC is available at BNA
• The downtown Nashville core, Broadway entertainment district, Nissan Stadium, and the Gulch neighborhood fall within BNA Class C influence
• John C. Tune Airport (JWN) in west Nashville has Class D airspace
• Smyrna Airport (MQY) to the southeast adds Class D

The Cumberland River corridor through downtown Nashville is a popular aerial photography and videography subject. Specific UAS Facility Map ceilings in the downtown area should be checked for every operation.

Memphis International Airport (MEM)

Memphis has Class B airspace -- one of the larger cargo aviation hubs in the country due to FedEx World Hub operations. The Class B structure extends across Shelby County and into portions of Mississippi and Arkansas.

For drone pilots:

• LAANC is available at MEM
• FedEx cargo aircraft operate 24 hours daily with heavy overnight activity
• The Mississippi River waterfront, Beale Street area, and portions of West Memphis (AR) are within MEM Class B influence
• Memphis is one of the busiest cargo airports in the world by volume -- airspace management is active

Knoxville McGhee Tyson Airport (TYS)

Knoxville has Class C airspace. LAANC is available. Operations in the University of Tennessee area, downtown Knoxville, and the Smoky Mountains gateway corridor should be verified against the TYS Class C.

Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Y-12 Nuclear Security Complex

Oak Ridge, in Anderson County, is home to both Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the Y-12 National Security Complex. Y-12 is a National Nuclear Security Administration facility that manufactures and processes enriched uranium components.

Permanent TFR: A permanent Temporary Flight Restriction (which is in practice a permanent prohibited zone) covers the Y-12 complex. This TFR is active at all times and prohibits all UAS operations within its boundaries without specific FAA authorization. The restricted airspace appears in both the FAA NOTAM database and UAS apps.

Additional restricted airspace: The broader Oak Ridge corridor has associated restricted and special use airspace. Pilots planning operations anywhere in Anderson County or the Clinch River/Tennessee River corridor near Oak Ridge should verify their specific coordinates carefully.

TVA Nuclear Plants: Tennessee Valley Authority operates nuclear generating stations at Watts Bar (Rhea County), Sequoyah (Hamilton County, near Chattanooga), and Browns Ferry (Alabama). Each has associated restricted airspace. These are separate from the Oak Ridge prohibition but add to the eastern Tennessee airspace complexity.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park straddles the Tennessee-North Carolina border and is the most visited national park in the United States. The Tennessee-side entrances in Gatlinburg and Townsend are heavily used year-round.

NPS prohibition: Drone operations within Great Smoky Mountains National Park are prohibited without a Special Use Permit. The prohibition is actively enforced in accessible areas of the park -- Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap Road, and the Gatlinburg/Cherokee approach corridors.

Air tour operations: Great Smoky Mountains has existing air tour operations (helicopters) operating under FAA air tour agreements. UAS operations in the park airspace are particularly hazardous given the low-altitude helicopter traffic.

Nashville Music Industry and Commercial Filming

Nashville's entertainment industry creates specific commercial drone demand that does not exist at the same scale in most other states:

Music video and television production: Nashville is a major production hub for country music videos, streaming content, and network television. Commercial drone operations for production work frequently require coordination with venue management (for indoor/near-venue operations), city filming permits, and FAA authorization for airspace near BNA.

Stadium operations: Nissan Stadium (NFL Titans) and Geodis Park (MLS Nashville SC) are within the BNA Class C structure. Stadium restrictions during events apply under 14 CFR 91.145 for events with 30,000 or more attendees. Check the FAA TFR database before any stadium-adjacent operations on event days.

Downtown filming permits: Metro Nashville requires filming permits for commercial drone operations in many public spaces. Contact Metro Nashville Film Office for the current permit requirements before planning downtown aerial work.

Tennessee State Parks and TWRA Lands

The Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation manages 56 state parks. Commercial drone operations in Tennessee state parks require coordination with TDEC. Some parks have issued blanket photography permits for certain commercial use categories; others require individual applications.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) manages significant wildlife management areas and public lands. Drone operations that disturb wildlife during nesting or breeding seasons create issues under both TWRA regulations and federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act provisions.

Practical Summary for Tennessee Drone Pilots

Run a complete preflight check for your Tennessee location at uas-skycheck.app. The check covers BNA/MEM/TYS airspace, Oak Ridge and TVA restricted zones, active TFRs, and current weather. Free, no account required.