Know Before You Fly
As the holidays approach many of us may receive a shiny new drone as a gift.听
There are several things you need to know before you fly.
1.听 听 All drones need to be registered with the FAA. (very small drones weighing less than 250 grams are exempt from the registration requirement) Drones can be registered here,
2.听 听 The registration number must be visible on the outside of the drone
3.听 听 All recreational pilots must take the 鈥淔AA TRUST Exam.鈥 The exam is free and can be found here:
4.听 听 Unless you are flying at an established model aircraft club your drone must transmit a Remote ID signal. Most drones produced in 2023 or later have Remote ID technology built in. Information on Remote ID can be found here,
5.听 听 In order to ensure you only fly in safe and legal areas you should download and use the FAA鈥檚 B4UFly app. This app will warn you of any restrictions to drone flights that may be in effect when and where you plan to fly. The app can be found here,
6.听 听 If you plan to use your drone for any commercial purposes you鈥檒l need to become certified by the FAA as a Part 107 drone pilot. Part 107 is the Federal Regulation pertaining to commercial operations of drones weighing less than 55 pounds. Information on Part 107 can be found here,
Drones are an amazing technology and are very fun to fly. As long as you follow the guidance above you will be safe and legal whenever you fly. If you have any questions about flying your drone the Flight Operations Department here at CU is happy to help. We can be reached at听dps_flightops@colorado.edu听