FAA Drone Rules & Resources

1. Under 250 g (0.55 lb)

Recreational flying

• Recreational flyers must take TRUST (The Recreational UAS Safety Test) and carry proof of passing.
• Registration is not required for recreational flying at this weight.

FAA: TRUST and approved test providers

2. 250 g to under 55 lb

Recreational flying

• Recreational flyers must take TRUST and carry proof of passing. FAA: TRUST
• The drone must be registered through FAADroneZone. FAADroneZone
• Registration instructions are on the FAA's how-to page. FAA: How to register your drone
• Registered drones must broadcast Remote ID (required since September 16, 2023), except at FAA-approved Remote ID-free fields (FRIAs).

3. 55 lb and over

• A waiver does not cover drones of 55 lb and over.
• Registration follows the traditional paper N-number process. FAA: Aircraft Registry, unmanned aircraft
• Commercial flights require a Section 44807 exemption, because Part 107 only covers drones under 55 lb. FAA: Section 44807 exemptions

Recreational flying

• Federal law allows recreational flying of drones of 55 lb and over only when both of these are true: the drone meets standards set by an FAA-recognized community-based organization (CBO) and approved by the FAA, and it is flown from an FAA-approved fixed site. 49 U.S.C. 44809
• Fixed sites are requested by FAA-recognized CBOs. Once the FAA approves a site, recreational flyers can use it. FAA: Recognized community-based organizations
• The weight includes anything attached to or carried by the drone.
• The drone cannot be registered through FAADroneZone. It must be registered by mail under Part 47 and get its own N-number. FAA: Aircraft Registry, unmanned aircraft
• Remote ID still applies, including at fixed sites, unless the site is also an FAA-approved Remote ID-free field (FRIA). FAA: Remote ID
• The FAA's guidance for recreational flyers covers these rules in detail. FAA Advisory Circular 91-57D (PDF)

This is a summary, not legal advice. Check faa.gov and the CBO's own rules before flying.

4. Safety videos & learning

Links only. Each video opens on YouTube.

• Sharing Low-altitude Airspace with Drones (The Rotorcraft Collective) Video: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), via the FAA YouTube channel.
• What is Remote ID? Video: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), via the FAA YouTube channel.
• How to Fly Your Drone Recreationally Video: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), via the FAA YouTube channel.
• Flying Drones for Fun: Is TRUST a Must? Video: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), via the FAA YouTube channel.

Further learning

• Know Before You Fly Know Before You Fly (organized by AMA and AUVSI with the FAA)

5. Other agencies

Links to drone-safety material from other U.S. government agencies. Each link opens on the agency's own website.

NTSB drone collision case studies

• Army Black Hawk vs. DJI Phantom 4 (2017), NTSB case DCA17IA202 NTSB probable cause: “the failure of the sUAS pilot to see and avoid the helicopter due to his intentional flight beyond visual line of sight.” Courtesy: National Transportation Safety Board
• AS350 helicopter vs. DJI Mavic 2 (2020), NTSB case DCA20IA081, final report (PDF) NTSB probable cause: “the failure of the small UAS remote pilot to give way to the helicopter.” Courtesy: National Transportation Safety Board
• Robinson R44 vs. DJI Mavic 2, Daytona Beach (2023), NTSB case ERA24LA079, final report (PDF) The NTSB found that the drone operator failed to operate within the limits of the airspace authorization (Certificate of Waiver or Authorization, COA) he was using. Courtesy: National Transportation Safety Board

National Park Service

• Uncrewed Aircraft in the National Parks The National Park Service prohibits launching, landing, or operating drones in national parks, with a few exceptions; check the rules for the park you plan to visit. Violation of the ban is a misdemeanor with a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a $5,000 fine. The NPS notes that small drones have crashed in geysers in Yellowstone National Park and been lost over the edge of the Grand Canyon. Source: National Park Service.

U.S. Department of the Interior

• Interior Expands Information Sharing Initiative to Prevent Drone Incursions (2017 press release) In 2016, there were 42 reported drone incursions on wildfires. Source: U.S. Department of the Interior.

Federal Aviation Administration

• Recreational Flyers Toolkit The toolkit page offers two printable product-insert flyers (4 x 6 and 8 x 6, PDF) with basic safety rules for recreational drone flyers. The flyers are older material: they list only three LAANC providers and do not mention the TRUST test requirement. Check current FAA pages before you fly: FAA: TRUST and FAA: B4UFLY. Federal text and reports are public domain, but the FAA logo appears on these flyers and may not be reused without permission; Fallen Drones does not use it. Source: Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).