Santa has just got you your drone and within no time, you’re going to be the happiest and arguably the coolest person among your friends. That’s actually very awesome. But before taking your drone into the sky, there are some vital issues that you need to do and be aware of before flying your drone.
As you unwrap your new object of desire, charge its batteries, and go ahead to test it outside, you may find yourself serving some time in jail for flying your drone in some restricted airspace. Here are some five fast facts to be aware of before you go ahead and fly a drone:
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Register Your Drone
In the United States, for instance, all drones that weigh between 0.55 and 0.55 pounds, which were purchased after 21 December 2015 must all be registered before being flown for the first time. According to the rules and regulations laid by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), all drone owners must ensure that they register their drones so that traceability becomes easier in the event of an incident.
If you are thinking of acquiring a drone and worried about the registration process, worry not. Registering your drone is fast and easy than you think. In fact, you can do it online through the registration website of the FAA provided it is below 55 pounds. If it exceeds 55 pounds, then you must register it via mail. So, registering your drone is the first thing you need to factor in.
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Read the Instruction Manual Carefully
We all know that going through a list of the instructions may get boring midway. While this is the first material that you get immediately, you unwrap the box containing the new drone, more than often, a lot of people toss it aside.
Drones come in all shapes and sizes with a set of varying controllers. While you may have learnt how to fly your friend’s drone, by the moment you get yours, you will realize that the make and instructions are different.
Reading the instruction manual carefully and understanding how to get your drone up and down or left and right will save you from crashing the much-prized asset that you spent your hard-earned money on.
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For Indoor Use, Ensure that the Foam Hull is Put On
All drones come with propeller blades such as the ones that are fitted on helicopters. These propeller blades are actually dangerous and could easily slice some of your fingers off if you touch them as they are spinning if you are a kind of like a person who puts his or her fingers on a ceiling fan that’s spinning.
If you purchase a drone that comes with a rubber hull or a foam, make sure that they are put on, especially when you are flying indoors. These foams and rubber hulls have their purpose. They are there to act as a form of a protective bumper against destroying important things.
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Don’t Get Creepy With Your Drone
Drones that come with cameras are the best if you intend to have the best aerial footage. But again, they are wrongly used by people with ill or malicious intentions to spy on other people from up in the sky.
Before flying your drone, you need to be aware of people’s privacy. Respect the privacy of your friends and neighbors by making sure that you don’t fly your drone over their swimming pool, yard or other restricted areas where drones are restricted. Only do so if you have obtained permission.
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Stop From Turning Your Drone into a Courier
Many companies are hoping to deliver their merchandise using drones. However, many hurdles must be overcome such as making sure that such packages are not loosely held to prevent them from falling.
The same applies to you. You don’t have to turn your drone into your pizza or taco delivery machine. You do not want to be on headline news because your drone dropped some nuggets or whooper on an innocent civilian.
