FAA drone rules in plain English (2026)

The rules changed more in the last five years than in the previous thirty. Here's the short, human-readable version for US pilots — written for people who fly now, not lawyers. As always: regulations get amended, so treat this as a map, not scripture, and confirm details at faa.gov before your first flight of the season.

First question: fun or money?

Everything in US drone law hangs on this one distinction:

• Recreational — flying for fun, no monetization. Simplest path: pass the free TRUST test (30 minutes online), follow community safety guidelines, keep the drone in visual line of sight.
• Anything else — if money touches the flight (monetized video, paid inspections, even "I'll sell you this clip"), you're operating under Part 107: a 60-question exam at a testing center for the Remote Pilot Certificate, registration of the aircraft, and recurring recurrent-training requirements.

The trap most returning pilots fall into: "I'm just flying for fun, but my videos make money." That's Part 107. The FAA's line is drawn at monetization, not intention.

Registration: the 250-gram line

• Recreational, under 250 g: no registration required. This is why the sub-249 g class took over the market — it doesn't just skip paperwork, it skips the paperwork forever (on the recreational side).
• Recreational, 250 g and up: register at faadronezone — $5, covers every aircraft you own, valid 3 years.
• Part 107 (any monetization): register every aircraft regardless of weight.

Watch the battery math: the DJI Mini 4 Pro is sub-249 g with the standard battery, but the larger "Plus" battery pushes it over the line. Same aircraft, different paperwork — check which battery is installed before you fly.

Remote ID — the part nobody explains well

Remote ID is a broadcast beacon (location + serial) your drone transmits while flying. Current DJI aircraft include Standard Remote ID built in — nothing for you to do. Older or home-built aircraft need a bolt-on broadcast module, or you fly within an FRIA (FAA-Recognized Identification Area — mostly club fields). If your drone is sub-249 g and purely recreational, Remote ID requirements generally don't reach you. Check the spec sheet, not the forum rumors.

Where you can actually fly

• Use the B4UFLY service (or apps that resell its data) to check airspace before you fly — controlled airspace around airports needs LAANC authorization, which is free and usually instant at authorized altitudes.
• National parks: launch, land, and operate from within park boundaries is banned — a rule that surprises people constantly.
• Night flying is allowed for both recreational and Part 107 pilots, but your aircraft needs anti-collision lighting visible for 3 statute miles.

Then the fun part

Paperwork done, the aircraft question remains: what replaced the Mavic Pro or where to start under $300.