5 Tips for Safe Drones flying in Your Area
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), there are five basic rules that govern the behavior of unmanned aircraft in flight. These rules are called “polices” and they all apply to drone usage, especially when it comes to manned aircraft. After all, who is going to tell a drone not to fly over a football game? It would be sacrilegious! While it might be annoying for some people when UAVs are near, these regulations exist with the intention of keeping manned aircraft and their pilots safe from collisions,atterances, objects in flight, and other issues that UAVs may encounter. Check out these 5 tips for safe drones flying in your area before you take flight.
Dispatch a drone pilot within the same agency
Some agencies have specific rules about which pilots can fly drones with them. For example, the National Airspace Rescue Service has rules that all drone pilots must be FAA certified and have a specific rating. In these cases, you’ll need to check if your individual state agency has similar rules. If not, you may have to ask the local sheriff or fire department if they have restrictions on when and where they are allowed to fly.
Avoid flying over people and property
The first rule of flying a drone is to avoid flying over people and property. This is to avoid any collisions, either with other aircraft or with people on the ground. You also don’t want to fly your drone over lakes, oceans, or other bodies of water because boats and other water-based vehicles might be in the way. The FAA has set a rule that says drones can fly at a altitude of 1,000 feet above ground level (that is, they cannot fly over buildings, structures, or hills). Another rule says drones can stay in the air for a maximum of six hours before they must land and beput away. To stay out of trouble, always keep your drone above 400 feet, east/west, and below 1,000 feet, north/south.
Know where your drone is going before you take off
Drones are pretty smart. Although they are still in the research stage, they are already excellent at picking up signals from ground-based transmitters and relaying those signals back to the cloud. Once the drone has a location, it will stay in that location until the signal is no longer available or until the battery runs out. That is exactly what a GPS has been built into the drone’s computer. You don’t want to fly your drone in an area with strong radio waves from other devices. If you want to fly your drone over a city, make sure to check out the clearances for buildings and other structures along with the radio frequency used by each device.
Have a designated air space for drones to fly in
Although the FAA has not set any regulations regarding this, most professional photographers and filmmaker use a special “airspace” when skies are clear to avoid flying above people and property. This is the area just outside of a person’s property that they have the right to use for flight. You can find out if your city has an “air space” by checking out your local airport directory. Most local aviation authorities have websites where you can find information on who owns what airspace and what they allow.
Maintain original equipment manufacturer (OEM) software
It’s important to have the original hardware, software, and battery when you purchase a drone. This way, if one part goes missing, you won’t be out of pocket much. If you buy a new drone, make sure to get the same software that came with it. This way, if one part goes missing, you won’t be out of pocket much. If you buy a new drone, make sure to get the same software that came with it.
Always have an emergency locator transmitter (LOCT) with you
Beyond that, having an emergency locator transmitter (LOCT) with you is another important rule when it comes to UAVs. You never know when a situation will arise where you might be in danger but unable to escape on your own. A LOCT is a radio transmitter that can send out a distress signal if necessary. If you lose your drone or it has to be returned to the manufacturer, make sure to include an LOCT with the device. You can get one for free from many aviation authorities.
Check out these tips for safe drones flying in your area
Flying a drone is exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time. There is a lot to learn about how to safely operate a drone, but with a few tips, you’ll be well on your way to having a safe flight. These are some of the most important things you should know before you take to the skies.