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Drones are fun to fly and are great for creative projects and business opportunities. They’re also just fun to fly!
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for handling all the regulations regarding aviation. Including drones. The world of drone flying can be convoluted. This article is meant to guide you through:
- Requirements for recreational drone flight
- What commercial flight is
- Requirements for a drone license
Requirements for Flying A Drone Recreationally
Flying recreationally does not require a drone or pilot’s license, but there are some requirements. Follow these requirements to ensure you’re flying within the proper requirements.
Take the Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST)
You don’t need a license to fly a drone recreationally, but you do need to take the Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST).
The FAA didn’t create TRUST, but many organizations provide all the information you need to pass the test in the form of a course.
Once you get the certification after succeeding, keep proof on you while flying. A good place to keep this would be in your drone case.
Follow Safety Guidelines
The safety guidelines for drone flight are developed by Community-Based Organizations (CBO) that are selected by the FFA.
There are currently four CBOs. Each develops its own set of safety guidelines that help drone pilots operate safely:
- Academy of Model Aeronautics
- First Person View Freedom Coalition
- Flite Test Community Association
- STEM+C Inc.
You don’t need to follow each of the CBO guidelines, and you can use them interchangeably. However, you will need to know which one you’re sticking to while flying.
These CBOs are communities of nationwide enthusiasts with multiple club locations anyone can join. You don’t need one to fly, but it may be a great opportunity to meet great people who are excited about drone flight.
Keep Your Drone Visible
You need to keep your drone within your field of vision whenever it’s in the air. You can use a coordinator to help keep an eye on your drone, but it’s best to fly only where you can see.
This is an extremely important guideline for recreational flight and can lead to severe damages and major fines. For example, a co-founder of Treyarch (a video game development studio) crashed his DJI Mini 3 Pro into a Canadair CL-415 Super Scooper during the Los Angeles fires of 2025. The pilot flew beyond his sight, causing 65 thousand dollars of damage, and stopped a valuable plane from helping the firefighters.
Yield to Other Aircraft
It needs to be made clear that when aircraft collide with drones, the damage can be catastrophic. Even a half pound drone can cause tremendous damage to a massive aircraft.
As a recreational pilot, it’s your duty to yield to other aircraft and never fly around an airport.
Fly at or Below the Authorized Altitude
While flying recreationally, you need to keep your drone at or below 400 feet above ground level. Recreational drones come built-in with altimeters, but they have different tech to read the information:
- Infrared
- Barometry
- GPS
Each of these altimeters works as well as the next. While flying, make sure you don’t exceed 400 feet.
Carry a Current FAA Registration Mark
This recreational drone requirement is easy to miss.
All drones that weigh over 0.55 pounds need to be registered through the FAA and have their registration number present on the drone. Not all drones designed for recreational use will enter that weight range. In fact, most won’t, but it’s important to keep in mind.
Registered drones should also comply with remote identification requirements. This means other aircraft will be able to identify your drone remotely. You’ll need this only if you plan on flying in areas that require it. Check this FAA page for more details about Remote ID.
Operate Your Drone Safely
If the other guidelines weren’t enough, the FAA also includes "don't fly in a manner that would endanger the national airspace system”. This is a catch-all rule that means: be smart.
Don’t fly your drone in places you don’t know anything about or where airplanes or helicopters pass.
This also includes staying away from areas like:
- Bald eagle nests
- Highways and roads
- Private property
- Personal space
Be smart when you fly your drone, and always double-check if you’re allowed to fly at your location.
Only Fly Recreationally
You can fly a drone without a license, but only if you fly recreationally or for personal enjoyment.
There are countless ways to fly your drone recreationally:
- Personal creative projects
- Racing with friends
- Just flying around
The edge of recreation ends when financial compensation begins. If you’re flying to receive pay or any kind of monetization, you are no longer flying for recreation.
The section below will detail what is considered commercial use of a drone.
What Counts as Commercial Drone Use?
With a drone license, you can fly recreationally and commercially. Financial compensation defines commercial drone flight. If you’re flying to make money, then you’re flying commercially.
These are some examples of commercial drone flights.
Related Articles: Drone Mapping Software, Drone Career Opportunities
Flying For Daily Business Operations
Some businesses use drones for daily business operations. Including sight inspections and environmental surveys. These tasks can be part of a non-drone-specific job.
You may not have been hired specifically to fly drones, but even if it’s one task of many, you need a drone license.
Flying For Advertisement and Monetized Content
If the imagery you create with your drone is used to sell a product or service, or created specifically for monetized content, you need a drone license.
Drone License Requirements
Getting your drone license will unlock business opportunities for you and your drone. The process does take some time and requires a bit of paperwork and passing a test.
The following are requirements built by the FAA for receiving your drone license.
Prerequisites
Before becoming a pilot, you need to meet these standards:
- Be 16 years or older
- Ability to speak, read, write, and understand English
- Be physically and mentally able to safely fly a drone
- Pass the initial aeronautical knowledge exam
Pass the Part 107
This is the bulk of the drone license process. It’s a test that challenges your understanding of drone safety and operating procedures. However, there are many resources to help you pass the test.
Part 107 courses prepare you for taking the test. The REDC offers a self-paced course bundle that makes the Part 107 easy. Take the course and pass the test.
Stay Up to Date
Your license will need to be renewed every 2 years. You can do this easily by taking a training course on the FAA website.
Drone Education with the REDC
Whether you’re flying for fun or for a job, you need to fly safely. Drone licensing and safety guidelines help keep people on the ground and aircraft in the sky safe.
The REDC at Yavapai College offers more than just Part 107 training, we can help you operate your drone as safely as possible with our deep dive courses on popular drone models.
You can also check out our drone piloting and business courses:
Fly farther with the REDC.