New campaign urging drone safety ahead of holidays

Plan on giving a drone as a holiday gift? The Federal Aviation Administration is teaming up on a campaign urging recipients of unmanned aircraft to fly their new toys safely.

The FAA has partnered with top unmanned aviation groups on Know Before You Fly, which includes a website and instructional video with tips on the right and wrong ways to pilot that newly unwrapped drone.

The campaign was founded by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI), the Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA), and the Small UAV Coalition.

Among the tips offered in the campaign: Fly your aircraft below 400 feet, don't fly near airports or manned aircraft, take a lesson before your first flight and inspect your drone before flying.

The campaign encourages safe and responsible use of consumer drones. "Prospective operators — from consumers to businesses — want to fly and fly safely," reads an excerpt from the Know Before You Fly website. "But many don't realize that, just because you can easily acquire a UAS, doesn't mean you can fly it anywhere, or for any purpose."

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