No longer the stuff of science fiction, drones are becoming more and more prolific in our modern world for personal and commercial use. Sounding like an angry beehive on steroids, most popular consumer-level drones are what are classified as quadcopters, having 4 propellers providing lift and control. Powered by batteries and electric motors with a sophisticated electronic brain to provide stability, these human-controlled devices often contain detailed HD or 4K cameras which can take spectacular video and images from a perspective only birds and the CIA have been able to experience until now.
In addition to getting those awesome aerial shots, you may be surprised to know that when flying one you are actually considered by the government to be piloting an aircraft. Easy, Maverick, this doesn’t mean that you get your gold wings or a fancy helmet. What it does mean is that there are laws that are attached when taking a drone out to fly.
To the Federal Government, a drone is considered an Unmanned Aircraft System, or UAS. If you’re based in the USA most drones, aside from the little $10 novelty toys you can buy at a drugstore, have to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. You can register online easily and it only costs $5 for three years, but if you fail to register, you can rack up expensive fines and even up to three years in prison, but that’s obviously in extreme cases.
If you’re planning on using your drone for commercial purposes such as selling your footage or delivering pizzas, you’ll need to take a few more steps which includes passing an initial aeronautical knowledge test. The good thing is that you can study online and prepare ahead of time.
Once you have registered, you will want to follow these guidelines:
- Don’t fly higher than 400 feet.
- Always keep your drone within sight.
- Avoid flying in the dark, strong winds, and/or bad weather.
- Don’t fly near other people or property until you’re very confident in your ability to maintain control and pilot the vehicle.
- Avoid airports and military-controlled areas to prevent accidentally filming something classified and getting the men-in-black called on you. Also if you do fly within 5 miles of an airport, you have to notify air traffic control.
- Avoid flying over private property as much as possible as privacy is always an issue.
What it really comes down to is that you’re operating an aircraft which can potentially crash into other aircraft, wildlife, buildings, people, power lines and has the potential to give you the ability to cross barriers and fences to access areas that someone else may not want you to have access to. Please use common sense and be courteous, follow local laws and regulations and don’t annoy, harass or trespass on your neighbors. Let’s keep that awesome footage coming.