WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE YOU FLY

Before launching your drone, you’ll need to keep a few rules in mind. Fear not, though—they’re not especially onerous. And, as Megan Gaffney,a spokesperson for the drone video site AirVuz, says,“very few places and events are not drone-able.”

FLYING COLORS Once you needed to spend thousands of dollars to earn a full-fledged pilot’s license before flying a drone for commercial work. Part 107 is the FAA’s compromise—a remote-pilot certificate, which requires only a simple written test and is designed for those who want to fly small drones.

NO-FLY ZONES The FAA has strict rules on where drones cannot fly: within a five-mile radius of airports—unless the airport is notified; stadiums an hour before, during, and an hour after major events; and certain dense urban areas. The FAA has an app to help you spot such no-fly zones. Above all, use common sense. “Not everyone is keen on having drones on their property,” says Jörg Lamprecht, co-founder and CEO of airspace security firm Dedrone.

SIGN UP Hobbyists no longer have to register their drones, but businesses do. If you’re making money from your unmanned aerial vehicle, it must be registered with the FAA and assigned an N-number, says RTI Group’s Jeremy Reynolds. Luckily, that costs just $5.

KEEP IT IN VIEW A drone must stay in its pilot’s line of sight, unless you have a Part 107 waiver. Sending a drone a mile or so away could be a problem if someone sees it, jots down its ID number, and reports it.

STAY LOW Flying above 400 feet is, for the most part, an FAA no-no. What’s up there: police helicopters, emergency responders, and commercial airplanes— nothing you’d want to bother.