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Minnesota Drone Privacy & Surveillance (2026)

Info: Minnesota's UAV statute (626.19) restricts only law-enforcement drone use; no MN law criminalizes a private person's drone surveillance.

InfoVerified Jul 7, 2026

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Minnesota's UAV statute (626.19) restricts only law-enforcement drone use; no MN law criminalizes a private person's drone surveillance. General privacy law (609.746) may apply.

Official source: revisor.mn.gov →

General legal information, not legal advice — verify important decisions with a licensed attorney.

Drone Privacy & Surveillance in states bordering Minnesota

The same rule in each neighboring state LawLert has verified, from that state’s own official source.

IowaInfo
Iowa has no statute criminalizing private drone surveillance; Iowa Code 808.15 only makes warrantless drone-gathered information inadmissible as evidence.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: legis.iowa.gov · Full Iowa rule →
North DakotaConditional
North Dakota (NDCC ch. 29-29.4) regulates drone surveillance — law enforcement needs a warrant and it bars authorizing nonconsensual private-person drone surveillance; no general criminal offense.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: ndlegis.gov · Full North Dakota rule →
South DakotaRestricted
South Dakota (SDCL 50-15-5): a Class 1 misdemeanor to use a drone to photograph, record or observe a person in a private place with a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: sdlegislature.gov · Full South Dakota rule →
WisconsinRestricted
Wisconsin (Wis. Stat. 942.10) makes it a Class A misdemeanor to use a drone to photograph, record or observe another person where they have a reasonable expectation of privacy.
Verified Jul 7, 2026 · Source: docs.legis.wisconsin.gov · Full Wisconsin rule →

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