Jury Notes

Drones -- what do you need to know?

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Perhaps you’ve heard?  Folks in New Jersey are seeing drones.  Over 100 reports have been made to the NJ state police since November 17^th.   According to CNN, “The FBI and DHS have said they believe most of the drone sightings are cases of ‘mistaken identity,’ with members of the public misidentifying small, legally operating manned aircraft as drones.”  It’s still freaking people out though.

Drones, a broad term for “unmanned aerial vehicles,” are widely owned across the United States. Around 792,000 drones are registered with the FAA, nearly evenly divided between commercial and recreational use. They are used in various industries, including photography, agriculture and law enforcement. Most of the time, however, a person can’t just pop down to “Drones R Us,” buy a shiny new drone and fly it around the neighborhood.  If your drone weighs more than .55 pounds, you must register your drone through the FAA's Drone Zone.)

Unmanned Aircraft Systems are governed by 14 CFR Part 107 (the “Small UAS Rule”) The law requires that all recreational flyers pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test and provide proof of passage if asked by law enforcement or FAA personnel. The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) was developed to meet this requirement.

Congress created the Exception for Limited Recreational Operations of Unmanned Aircraft, 49 U.S.C. §44809 (2018) to allow those flying drones purely for fun or personal enjoyment to operate without complying with Part 107. People flying under this Exception are required to comply with all rules for recreational flyers.

Following these rules helps keep people, your drone and our airspace safe:

• Fly only for recreational purposes (personal enjoyment).
• Follow the safety guidelines of an FAA-recognized Community Based Organization (CBO).
• Keep your drone within the visual line of sight or use a visual observer who is co-located (physically next to) and in direct communication with you.
• Give way to and do not interfere with other aircraft.
• Fly at or below FAA-authorized altitudes in controlled airspace (Class B, C, D, and surface Class E designated for an airport) only with prior FAA authorization by using LAANC or DroneZone.
• Fly at or below 400 feet in Class G (uncontrolled) airspace.
• Do not operate your drone in a manner that endangers the safety of the national airspace system.

Of course, if you really get into the drone life, you can become a Certified Remote Pilot!  Register your drone with the FAA, and really take off!  More information here!