Although drones are skyrocketing in popularity and are expected to be one of the hottest gifts for this holiday season, there is a lot more to owning one than your typical gadget or electronic device, according to USA Today. In fact, many cities, including New York and Phoenix, have banned the use of drones.
"The rules are pretty simple," said Steve Petrotto, a product manager for Horizon Hobby, a drone reseller. "Don't fly by airports, don't fly over 400 feet, and don't fly for commercial purposes."
In addition to these rules, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Department of Transportation (DoT) announced that all drones that weigh more than half a pound must be registered with the FAA in a national database, according to the Guardian.
So what if you decide to skirt these rules and take your drone into the sky unregistered? You could face civil penalties of up to $27,500 or criminal penalties of up to $250,000, according to Wired.
With the FAA predicting sales of more than one million drones in 2015, that means there will be more in the sky than the 250,000 airplanes and helicopters, which highlights the importance of responsibility and awareness in drone users.
"They won't be flying at the same time, but have to think about, you're a responsible pilot now," said Keith Kaplan, the interim CEO of the Unmanned Ariel Vehicle Systems Association.
