Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), or drone as it is often called, is increasingly available online and on store shelves, and be played by both kids and adults. There are many types of drone that are suitable for different people. Toy-level drone is kids' favor and some adults or professional pilots are into GPS drone or racing drone. But, here is one thing you should know that even you can easily acquire a UAV, doesn’t mean you can fly it anywhere, or for any purpose.
No matter what kinds of drone you fly, safety is the most important when flying. So, in this passage I will provide prospective users with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly.
Register Your Drone with FAA
According to the Federal Aviation Administration ("FAA"), before your drone leaves the ground, if it weighs more than 0.55 pounds, you must register with the FAA. Even if you're just flying for fun, not for business, all drones of this size need to be registered and weight no more than 55 pounds. You’ll also need to post your FAA registration number and your contact information on your drone body to help you retrieve it if you lose it.
Know When and Where to Fly
Pay attention to the weather before flight. The meteorological environment that affects drone flight, mainly includes: wind speed, rain and snow, heavy fog, air density, air temperature, etc. It is recommended that the flight wind speed be below level 4 (5.5-7.9m/s), and the sudden wind affects your drone stable flight, may encountering floors or canyons. The larger the takeoff weight, the better the wind resistance. Most of the drones on the market has no waterproof function, so the water drop in the rain and snow journey will affect the electronic circuit of the aircraft. In case of road or electric leakage, the parts of mechanical structure are made of metal materials such as iron or steel, which will be corroded or rusted after water entering. The flying environment temperature is very important, high temperature is not conducive to the heat dissipation of motor / battery / electric regulation, etc.
Avoid Signal Interface Areas
Before the flight, you may also observe the electromagnetic interference sources around the flight area. At present, the mainstream aircraft radio remote control equipment adopts the 2.4G frequency band, and the domestic wireless routing adopt the 2.4G mode segment. Although the transmitting power is not high and the number of urban areas is large, it will inevitably interfere with the wireless control of the remote control, resulting in out of control. For example, radar, radio and television signal tower, high voltage line directly affect flight.
Keep Safe Flight Distance
A key component of drone's safe operation is to within visual sight. Always fly the drone in your sight and don't fly it too far. Drones cannot fly within 5 miles of the airport without prior notice to the airport and air traffic control. Don't let your drone fly directly over people who are not involved in the operation, flying at or below 400 feet. Pay attention to airspace restrictions, including stadiums, schools, hospitals and power plants.
Drones are popular gifts for tech lovers, who enjoy navigating their unmanned aircraft and taking aerial video and photography. Taking the time to get to know your drone and to understand the FAA, state and local restrictions before you fly could be the difference in making sure your drone returns home at the end of its flight.