Drones are becoming a more common sight. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has predicted that by 2020, there will be seven million drones being operated in the United States alone. This includes both consumer and commercial unmanned aircraft systems, or UASs, and unmanned aerial vehicles, or UAVs.
The Drone Industry and Sales Revenue
Gartner reported that in 2016, there were approximately 110,000 drones sold for commercial purposes. During 2017, it was expected that the number of drones being sold would increase to 174,000. In terms of consumer drone sales, these were predicted to increase to 2.8 million.
When considering the total amount of unit sales, consumer drones comprise 94%. Commercial drones, on the other hand, amount to six percent of all drone sales. Since commercial drones are more costly, they comprise 60% of the revenue for this industry. Small hobbyist drone sales are expected to increase significantly. From 2016 to 2020, predictions indicate that sales will increase from $1.9 million to $4.3 million.
Guidelines for Safe Drone Operation
There are specific guidelines for drone registration. If your drone weighs over 55 pounds, you must register it with the FAA. It’s also important to remember that there are FAA Safety Guidelines for UAVs. These guidelines specify that a UAV cannot be allowed to fly over 400 feet. There are also specific guidelines for operating a drone close to an airport or heliport. When you plan to fly a drone within five miles of either type of location, then you must contact the airport and control tower before doing so.
Guidelines for Reporting Drone Accidents
When you are a remote drone pilot of a small UAS, you are required to report any accidents to the FAA within ten days of the incident. You are also responsible for informing the FAA if the accident has caused someone to become seriously injured. In the event that the accident has caused more than $500.00 in damage to someone’s property, you must also report this to the FAA and either repair or replace their property.
What to Do if Your Drone Breaks
When you own a drone, it’s important to take good care of it and follow all operation and safety guidelines. This of course includes avoiding the common drone mistakes that some drone users make. If you’re wondering what to do when your drone breaks, however, the best course of action is to take it to a local drone repair shop.
A drone technician will be able to evaluate the damage and determine whether or not it can be repaired. In some instances, however, a drone repair shop technician may discover that your drone may be easily fixed. While you may think that you can fix the drone yourself, It’s important to keep in mind that a drone repair shop technician is professionally qualified to do so.
