The market for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles grew to 2.5 million units in 2015 and drones make the hottest Christmas gift each year. The ease of use and capabilities of a modern multicopter are so far beyond what radio control hobbyists enjoyed ten years ago that drones are projected to be a $5 billion industry in four years. The popularity of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) give rise to safety concerns. Commercial airliners report incidents of drones flying dangerously close to airports in New York and actually striking an airliner in London. The City of Poway temporarily banned the launch or landing of all drones after interference with fire fighting aircraft. The current Poway law only bans launch or landing of UAV's during a declared emergency. FAA profligates rules to encourage safe use of Unmanned Aircraft. The rules are very different for pilots who fly for fun and those who fly as part of their job. Recreational UAV FlightThe FAA requires recreational drone pilots to register for a FA-number. Registration is online at http://www.faa.gov/uas/registration
Pilots aged 12 years old and under should not register. However a person older than 13 years old (like a parent or guardian) should instead register the UAV. Registration is only required for UAV’s that weigh more than 0.55 pounds (8.8 ounces or 250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as cameras. Most “toy” multicopters weigh only two or four ounces and do not require registration. Hobby or recreation are strongly encouraged to follow safety guidelines, which include:
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