Over the last few years, drones have become a hit, and these days everybody wants to own one. People want to capture every single moment and have an aerial view of all their surroundings. They want to capture moments with family, and some just want the joy of piloting these flying toys.
The urge to have this small Unmanned Aircraft System is increasingly growing. However, there are so many details you should look into before you decide to acquire and fly these toys. In this article, we will look at several things you should know before you fly your drone.
Legal Issues Surrounding Drones
You should be able to register your drone online with the FAA. However, if it’s more than 0.55 pounds, you should personally make a visit to the Federal Aviation Administration. You should not exceed 400ft when flying your drone. This is the highest it should go. Ensure it’s within sight.
Also, ensure you keep your drone away from people and other restricted areas which we will discuss later in this article. Keep in mind that there are even more things you should know before you fly your drone which we will discuss.
5 Important Things You Need to Know Before You Fly Your Drone
If you are flying your drone for money, you will need to do a test and get a license to conduct your business. If you trespass or invade the privacy of others or use the device as a weapon or invade places that should be free from technological distractions, then legal action can be taken against you. The five main things to consider before flying a drone include:
1
Purpose for Your Drone
Why do you really need to be flying a drone? What’s your purpose? Are you a photographer? A businessman? A farmer? A Site manager? Do you need a drone for commercial or personal use?
Considering all factors constant, anyone can fly a drone. The camera drones are the most common, especially since they are the easiest to manage and fly as long as you are above 13 years of age. However, younger children can fly a drone but should be under supervision. Here are some of the reasons people use drones:
2
Place of Purchase Online
One of the things you should know before you fly a drone is where to buy your preferred one. This may seem basic, but the best place for purchase really depends on the type of drone you want.
You can easily buy them online. All you need to do is place an order, and it will be delivered to your doorstep. The sites you order from will also be different. Amazon has everything you would need. It’s the most efficient place to get one. A few different types of drones include:
Specific Dealers
Some drones have to be purchased from their specific dealers because they usually have the latest versions of their product. They tend to upgrade either their software or hardware to improve their reliability and safety or to come up with a more superior product.
For example, the DJI drone which is rated the highest has an accidental damage protection program. You can get the latest version only at a DJI Store. Another one is the Hobby-free drone from their own Hobby King Store and the DIY which is available from RCGroups.com.
3
Rules and Regulations
There are general rules and regulations that you should know before you fly your drone to ensure you fly it safely without posing a threat to anyone nearby. Some of those guidelines include the following:
- Directly over large groups of people – Only those with proper FAA license, especially for commercial purposes, are allowed.
- Over government facilities – If you would fly your drone around Washington DC or any government building you will definitely be arrested
- Over national parks – This could be considered a hazard to animals, especially from poachers.
- Over fires and crime scenes – This could cause more risks.
- Over private property – This is considered trespassing.
- Over hospitals, schools, and stadiums – This is prohibited.
In order to avoid brushing shoulders with the law, you can download an app by FAA called B4UFLY to help you know whether you are flying in restricted areas or not.
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How to Protect Your Drone
Another thing you should know before you fly your drone is how to protect it. Since the drone has your personal information, especially from the photographs and videos of you and your family or even your home, you should protect it and guard it in order to avoid the information getting into the wrong hands. This ensures you, your family and your friends are safe.
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Where to Get an Insurance Cover
Where to get the best insurance cover deal is something you should know before you fly your drone. Being covered will protect you, especially in cases of serious crashes that can cause significant damage to property. This is important since the FAA needs you to report damages that are more than $500. Paying this amount on your own regularly would be really expensive.
Extra Tips and Tricks You Should Know Before You Fly Your Drone
Knowledge of Drones
Basic knowledge of drones will help you a great deal. For instance, when buying a drone, there are acronyms you should look into. For example, camera drones are considered ready to fly (RTF). This means they do not require any assembling. All you need to do is charge it, install the propellers, and setup the controllers and you are good to go.
Racing drones, on the other hand, have different acronyms; BNF for Bind-And-Fly and ARF for Almost-Ready-to-Fly. They require assembling and more input. You’ll need to read the manual more keenly to ensure a proper connection to avoid crashing.
Besides the external parts, a camera drone also has motors, batteries, a radio, and sensors. The two main sensors are the GPS signal and the Compass. The GPS sensors help locate the drone. They are so sensitive that if the signal is lost, the drone will go down.
To avoid losing the signal, you should avoid places with tall buildings, stay away from forested areas and avoid mountain ranges as well. The compass works hand in hand with the GPS and gives the direction the drone is facing. In case the Compass faces some interference, the drone will crash.
To avoid compass interference, avoid large metallic surfaces or structures like park benches or metal that may be on the ground.
Knowledge of operating the stick movements is also vital. This is majorly used in toys and racing drones. You will need to master the art of moving forward, backward, left and right depending on the location you are flying. The stick for a camera drone is considered more stable.
Join a Drone Forum (Community)
You should join a drone forum or community either online or physically. You will get to listen or learn from the discussions people are having about their own experiences.
You can ask questions and get answers from some members who may have experienced the same situations or have solutions to the different issues you may experience. You could get advice on specific brands and places or sites to purchase drones Who knows? You could even end up with a friend or two.
Conclusion
Before you leave the house to test your new flying toy, make sure you go through the manual very carefully to ensure no parts are left out. There’s a lot you need to know before you fly. Don’t forget the Dos and Don’ts of flying according to both the State and local authorities. With that, both you and your drone will have a great flight.
