So you checked out the Black Friday deals and got up to 30% off your drone. Congrats! Now what? Before you take to the sky with your new quadcopter, there are a few things that you need to know before you even get your drone off the ground. From registering, to getting a license, to knowing where you can fly, here’s everything you need to do before you get your drone in the air!
Register It
Is your drone more than 0.55lbs and less than 55lbs? You need to register yourself as a drone operator with the FAA. The process is easy and costs only $5. Simply visit the FAA’s drone registration website and create an account. You’ll receive a registration number which you’ll need to affix somewhere on your drone.
Planning to Fly for Money?
If you plan on making money with your DJI Mavic Air from Buydig.com, you’ll need to pass an FAA test and receive Part 107 certification. Once you’re certified you’ll be able to use your drone to capture aerial images and video to sell as stock imagery, work on film productions, grab aerial imagery at weddings or for real estate. The sky’s the limit. For the rest of us, flying just for fun and to share videos and images with friends and family, a different set of rules apply.
Where Can You Fly?
Make sure you are allowed to fly in the area before you take off. For obvious reasons you want to keep your DJI Spark Drone from flying near any sensitive, restricted or highly secured areas. The short version of the controlled airspace situation is that you cannot fly within 5 miles of an airport without first calling in to inform the air traffic controller of your exact flight itinerary. Airmap.io is a website that allows you to see “No Fly Zones” and visualize the airspace around you to determine where you are permitted to fly.
Follow the FAA’s Operating Rules
- Fly at or below 400 feet above the ground
- Always fly within line-of-sight, if you can’t see it, bring it in
- Stay away from airports
- Stay away from airplanes – they have the right of way in the air
- Do not fly over people
- Do not fly over or close to sports events or stadiums
- Do not fly near emergency situations such as car crashes or building fires
- Do not fly under the influence
- Be aware of controlled airspace – use the B4UFly app
In addition to the FAA rules, remember that National Parks have banned the use of drones within their confines. A lot of these are simply common sense. And that’s something you need to use when flying.
Join a Flying Community
The best way to learn how to be a better pilot is to fly with others! Look for local meetup groups on social media.
If you know and follow the rules, you’ll get a lot of enjoyment out of flying your new drone
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