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Fact Brief

Do recreational drones need to be FAA-registered if they exceed a certain weight?

Do recreational drones need to be FAA-registered if they exceed a certain weight?
Photo by Jared Brashier / Unsplash

Yes.

Recreational drones weighing 250 grams (0.55 lbs) or more are required to be registered with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which costs $5 and is valid for three years. They must have a Remote ID. 

The North Dakota News Cooperative is partnering with Gigafact to produce timely Fact Briefs, which are quick, evidence-based fact checks about trending claims relevant to North Dakota.

Recreational drones under this weight are not required to be registered and do not need a Remote ID. 

All recreational drone operators must pass The Recreational Unmanned Aircraft System Safety Test, regardless of drone weight, and carry proof of passing it if asked by law enforcement or FAA personnel. They must also follow recreational flying rules on how, when and where they can operate drones for recreational purposes. 

The registration requirements for recreational drones are: 

  • the operator must be 13 years of age or older (or a person 13 years of age or older must register the drone)
  • a United States citizen or legal permanent resident

This fact brief was originally published by Jenny Mendolla Arbizu with our Gigafact partner BenitoLink and is responsive to conversations such as this one.

About Fact Briefs:
Fact Briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact Briefs are written and published by newsrooms in the Gigafact network. Each brief is limited to 150 words or fewer and is not intended to provide an in-depth analysis, but rather to deliver concise, definitive answers grounded in verified information.

Sources

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The North Dakota News Cooperative is a nonprofit news organization providing reliable and independent reporting on issues and events that impact the lives of North Dakotans. The organization increases the public’s access to quality journalism and advances news literacy across the state. For more information about NDNC or to make a charitable contribution, please visit newscoopnd.org. Send comments, suggestions or tips to michael@newscoopnd.org. Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NDNewsCoop.

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