By Raymond Wong, Mashable, SouthFloridaReporter.com, Dec. 26, 2015 – Santa just got you your very own drone and you’re going to become the coolest person in your group of friends!
That’s awesome, but before you take your drone up into the sky, there are a few things you should do and know about flying drones.
Yes, we’re going all responsible mom and dad on you, but trust us, you’ll thank us later when you’re not sitting in jail for flying in restricted airspace.
SEE ALSO: FAA: More than 45,000 drones have been registered in just 2 days
Below are some of the things you need to know about your drone. To read all of the items go to “6 Things You Need To Know”
1. Register your drone
In the U.S., all drones weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds — including cameras and other payloads — and purchased after Dec. 21, 2015, must be registered before they are flown for the first time. Drones purchased before Dec. 21 must be registered by Feb. 19, 2016.
2. Read the instruction manual
Look, we know nobody likes reading instruction manuals. Heck, the first thing we do when we unbox new gadgets is toss the manual aside. If we can’t figure it out on our own, then the toy isn’t intuitive and is probably junk to begin with, right?
4. Don’t be creepy with it
Drones with cameras are great for getting aerial footage, but they’re also awfully easy to use for spying on people from way up high.
Respect your neighbors and don’t fly your drone over their yard or swimming pool or wherever it shouldn’t be flown, unless you’ve obtained their explicit permission.
6. Know the rules
There’s probably nothing to worry about if you’re flying your drone down the street, but if you intend to really push its limits, you definitely want to know the do’s and don’ts.
