Best Places to Fly a Drone in San Diego

Let’s face it: San Diego is not the most drone-friendly city there is. Between the airport downtown and the numerous naval bases, it can be hard to find some good ‘ol open airspace to let loose. With that being said, here are a few of my favorite places to fly! 

This list is solely based on my own research of drone laws in San Diego. If you have any doubt, please check with your local government and park rangers. This is a culmination of my research, but information rapidly changes. I am in no way responsible for any tickets or fines you may get as a result of improper operation. 

Equipment I use: DJI Mavic Mini, iPhone X

Del Mar, North of Torrey Pines

Bordering Torey Pines to the North lie huge bluffs holding the Pacific Surfliner train tracks. While Torrey Pines is unfortunately off-limits for drone operation, this spot in Del Mar makes for a great alternative. The beach itself gets busy with surfers and dog walkers, but up on the bluffs, there is some much-needed respite from the crowds. If you’re like me, you may be a little anxious to fly around groups of people.

Never fear! The bluffs above are usually quiet and even offer easy, flat places to take off and land. The benefit of the bluffs is that drones are not allowed over beaches, but are allowed over the ocean. This means that you can fly over the park itself, but be careful not to fly over the beach. When I called the city to ask about this rule, I got a voicemail saying that you could fly over the ocean if you were from a boat, but launching from the beach was not allowed. This is contrary to an article that states otherwise. If you do plan to fly over the ocean, please be sure to double-check with the appropriate authorities.

To the east, you can see quiet Del Mar neighborhoods. To the west, of course, lies the beautiful Pacific Ocean. With unique land features, beautiful sunset views, and decent privacy, the bluffs North of Torrey Pines are one of my favorite places to fly a drone in San Diego. Be sure to double-check the maps to make sure you are far North enough. Torrey Pines extends until 6th Street in Del Mar.

Lake Hodges/Fletcher Point

The hike to Fletcher Point is a peaceful trek of roughly 6 miles round trip. Don’t worry – it is pretty mild the whole way; even if you’re hauling drone equipment, it isn’t too bad. There are multiple places to stop and shoot, and when I first went it was almost empty the whole way. The two spots where I flew were the very beginning and the very end of the hike.

If you prefer to see human activity rather than static landscapes, the lake is used by boaters which can make interesting subjects.  The views at the end are spectacular and you really feel like you’re in a different country. The hills on either side of the lake hem you in, giving you the impression that you’re out in the wild, rather than 30-45 minutes from downtown San Diego.

Flying your drone here offers an awesome opportunity because the point splits the lake almost in half. As far as San Diego drone locations go, this is one of the best. Quiet, with engaging water and land subjects – what more can you ask for?

Proctor Valley

A 25-30 minute drive East takes you out to Jamul, where both the traffic and the airspace restrictions start to thin out. The lack of restrictions makes it a somewhat unique San Diego drone spot. I first flew in Jamul in the late spring, which made for hot, dry, and golden brown conditions. While the dry weather creates more monotonous shots, I loved that there was so much room to fly around.

As someone new to drone flying, I felt more comfortable chiefly because of the lack of people and water. I was also able to practice action shots and techniques there. While spring and summer turn the area brown, as the weather gets cooler, the fauna grows greener. This is definitely an area to come back and visit throughout the year.

There are multiple locations within this general area that I prefer. For beginners, driving about a half-mile on the washed-out dirt Proctor Valley Road (accessible by any car, but it is bumpy) lets you get some peace and quiet with interesting views. Other spots include pulling off on Campo Road, which, while void of foot traffic, has the added challenge of a busier road to watch out for.

Finally, pulling off in residential areas of Jamul and hiking out into any of the meadows or mountains is a great way to get the best of both worlds – sweeping views and again, low foot traffic (can you tell I like flying alone?). 

Sunrise Highway/Big Laguna Lake

I went to the trouble of calling the ranger stations at Cleveland National Forest and Cuyamaca State Park so you didn’t have to. While both of these large plots of public land are right next to each other, they have different rules regarding drone operation. As mentioned below in my list of off-limit places, Cuyamaca State Park does not allow drone flying.

However, Cleveland National Forest does! (seen here and confirmed on the phone) This is great news because while the maps are confusing, not too easy to access, and not consolidated, I was able to find many interesting places to legally fly. The Sunrise Highway is interestingly split between being Anza-Borrego (off-limits) and Cleveland National Forest (good to go!).

The southern part of this beautiful highway is a great place to pull off and fire up your drone. Make sure to stay south of “Kwaaymii Point”, which is where the highway begins to get into Anza’s zoning. To the west, Highway 79 is off-limits because it is zoned to Cuyamaca. Big Laguna Lake offers a great scenic walk and a place to let loose and fly. Cattle roam here freely, and even in the hot summer, there is water in the lake bed.

Where Not to Fly a Drone in San Diego/F.A.Q.’S

While it can be difficult to find the best places to fly a drone in San Diego, it can be just as tricky knowing which places are off-limits – especially with all of the military and commercial aircraft flying in and around the city. If you’re looking for some spots inside of San Diego to take pictures, check out this list of Best Photography Spots in North Park! Thus, it is important to be able to distinguish where you can fly and where you can’t. While you should always check the DJI app and others like B4UFly before taking off, I have noticed that there are spots that are erroneously listed as clear for take-off. Here are a few to look out for.