Things To Know Before Flying Your Drone
Did you get a drone for Christmas? Here's some things to consider before flying it.
The popularity of drones has grown tremendously in the last few years. There's a good chance that you, or someone you know got a drone for Christmas. There are some rules that need to be followed, and some things to look out for.
Commercial drone operator Cody Porche talked to KPLC about what people should do and consider before flying their drones.
The first step to go through is to register your drone, although not all drones need to be registered.
"All drones do not have to be registered. It falls into a weight category, so if the drone itself weighs more than 0.55 of a pound and less than 55 pounds you have to register it in the United States of America," he said.
After you have decided if your drone needs to be registered, the next step would be to get it registered if need be.
Then check the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations to stay safe while flying your drone.
One thing to look out for are false registration sites. Those have been popping up as of late. They won't necessarily keep your drone from being registered, but it'll cost you more.
"What I've noticed personally is that there is multiple websites, third-parties, that are coming up and sorta posing as federal websites and so what that's going to do is charge you more money and they are just going to register on your behalf," he said.
If all you're looking to do is fly your drone for fun, it's well worth it to get it registered.
"If you did receive a drone for Christmas, I recommend going to the federal website, check to see if your aircraft falls into the weight category; if it does, pay your $5 and register it. But if you're trying to do it for commercial operations, again, read because it does fall into a different category and it's going to cost you more money," Porche said.