SALEM, Oregon— A new Rule Advisory Committee (RAC) will review drone use in state parks, discuss goals for safe and responsible operation and begin providing feedback on draft proposed rules for drone takeoff and landing at Oregon State Parks and the ocean shore.

The Rule Advisory Committee will meet from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 28. The public can watch the livestream on YouTube on OPRD Director’s Office live channel . A recording will be available after the meeting.

An additional meeting will be scheduled for a later date. The Rule Advisory Committee includes representatives from recreation user groups, conservation organizations, natural resource specialists and other stakeholders.

Staff will review feedback from the committee, amend the draft as needed and then open the draft rules for public comment this winter. Staff will review public feedback, amend the draft as needed and then present the rules to the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission for adoption.

The goal is to have a final set of regulations ready for implementation by Spring of 2026.

Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (OPRD) previously discussed drone takeoff and landing in early 2022. OPRD paused the rulemaking process after it generated a lot of public feedback both in support and against the proposed rules.

OPRD convened a work group to draft criteria and maps where drones should be allowed to take off and land at state parks and along the ocean shore.

The work group included representatives from conservation organizations, drone enthusiasts and trail-user groups. It helped develop proposed standards that identify areas where drone use should be permitted or restricted.

The group’s work helped inform the proposed draft rules on drone takeoff and landing now under discussion.