Drone Etiquette For Christmas From the FAA

Both my nephews have drones they play with from large to micro and needless to day Youtube is full of them. Drones are expected to be a popular item to give and receive this Christmas. Each drone will indeed come with more than a simple set of instructions. 

So far this year, pilots have spotted 1,158 drones, that's compared to 238 all of last year. Because of that, the Federal Aviation Administration as of December 21st will require drone users to register with the agency and place a tail code on every drone they own based on a weight threshold.

In a press release the FAA stated: "The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has announced a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft (UAS) weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as on-board cameras."

Again, this starts on December 21st and the first 30 days are free. Something to keep in mind if you are giving - or receiving - a drone on Christmas Day.

The Consumer Electronics Association has forecast 700,000 drone sales this year.