Understanding the Requirements for Recreational Flyers

The requirements of the Exception for Limited Recreational Operation of Unmanned Aircraft(opens in a new tab) (“The Exception”) can be found in 49 U.S.C. §44809. Those requirements are:

• Fly for recreational purposes only

• Follow the safety guidelines of a Community Based Organization (CBO)

• Keep your drone in your visual line of sight (VLOS)

• Always give way and never interfere with manned aircraft

• Get an airspace authorization before flying in controlled airspace

• Do not fly higher than 400ft above the ground in uncontrolled airspace

• Pass an aeronautical knowledge and safety test

• Register and mark your drone and comply with the associated Remote ID rule, 14 CFR Part 89

Recreational Flying

Flying for recreational purposes means flying only for fun. You may not fly for work, payment, or as part of any business. For example, under the Exception for Recreational Flyers, real estate agents may not take photos of properties that will be used to help sell them.

Remember, flying for any reason other than for fun, is not allowed under the Exception for Recreational Flyers.

If you do not meet all the requirements to fly under the Exception for Recreational Flyers(opens in a new tab), you must fly under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 107(opens in a new tab), also known as the small UAS rule.