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Drones 101: Where to buy them, how to fly them

It's estimated that nearly four and a half million drones will be sold this year, making it more important than ever for pilots to understand the rules and regulations.

Posted Updated

By
Jessica Patrick
, WRAL.com editor

More reliable, user-friendly drones are in the hands of consumers than ever before. With so many people flying them, concern is growing about privacy and safety.

Drones are much more affordable than they used to be, with some reliable models priced as little as $400. It's estimated that nearly four and a half million drones will be sold this year, making it more important for pilots to understand the rules.

Videos like these taken by drones are breathtaking, but sometimes things can go wrong. It's bad enough when a drone is destroyed, but sometimes people get hurt.

For example, in November, a drone dispensing candy in Japan crashed into the crowd, injuring six people. Experts at Consumer Reports say similar accidents are more likely to happen as lower priced, user-friendly drones flood the market to the point where almost anyone can take to the skies with one.

It's important for all levels of users to learn the rules.

“You don’t need a license to fly a drone as long as you’re flying for fun and you’re not being paid to do it," said Chris Raymond, a Consumer Reports Electronics Expert.

However, certain drones that weigh more than a half pound and less than 55 pounds must be registered. "You need to go the FAA’s website and register there," said Raymond. "It only takes a few minutes to do it, it costs $5 and it’s good for 3 years.”

When it comes to flying drones, there are a few clear cut restrictions. You can’t fly them higher than 400 feet, and they must be in your line of sight at all times. “The FAA insists that you stay away from prisons, power plants, government buildings and military bases, airports, stadiums and national parks," said Raymond. "You also can't fly near emergency response efforts such as hurricane or fire recovery."

In North Carolina, you can't use a drone to watch a person or their home without their permission, and you can't use it to interfere with lawful hunting or fishing.

Knowing the rules and regulations is just one part of flying a drone -- it's just as important to know how to pilot it.

Consumer Reports experts recommend starting with an inexpensive toy drone before investing in a more expensive one, like their top-rated regular outdoor drone, DJI’s $900 Mavic Pro, and their top-rated lightweight selfie drone, the $400 DJI Spark.

To get the best drone video, experts recommend users start recording at takeoff and keeping it going as the drone rises above the treetops. This is also a good way to limit crashes, because it's less challenging to fly a drone upward than down.

Last but not least, while it's tempting to fly as high as a drone can go, some experts say the best shots are often within 50 feet of the ground.

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