Did you know?

In a recent Forbes Magazine article, Loretta Alkalay, an aviation attorney who teaches Drone Law at Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology, says that the same statute that makes it a crime to shoot down a drone also prohibits interfering with anyone “engaged in the authorized operation of such aircraft” and carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. Since drones are considered aircraft, threatening a drone or a drone operator, according to Ms. Alkalay, would also be a federal crime subject to five years in prison under this same statute.

Did you know that operating a drone commercially in violation of FAA regulations can result in civil and criminal penalties? Failure to register an unmanned aircraft may also result in regulatory and criminal penalties. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.

Federal law requires that all drones weighing more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds that are flown outdoors must be registered with the FAA and marked with a registration number. Unmanned aircraft flown for work, business, or hobby and recreational purposes must be registered. You can register for $5 online at the FAA UAS website. You must have the FAA registration certificate in your possession when operating an unmanned aircraft.