HOW-TO · STEP BY STEPGuides
Practical drone guides, written to get the job done
Task-first walkthroughs for the things every pilot actually has to do: register the aircraft, clear airspace, run a pre-flight, and make the footage look good.
Each guide leads with the outcome, then the numbered steps. Rules and laws live in Drone laws; here we tell you what to do.
Getting started
10 min · $5How to register your drone with the FAA
The $5 FAADroneZone walkthrough: who has to register, recreational vs. Part 107, and how to mark the aircraft.
Read the guideAbout 1 hourYour first drone flight, step by step
From unboxing to your first hover: firmware, calibration, a safe spot, and the legal boxes to tick before takeoff.
Read the guide
5 min per flightThe pre-flight checklist
A repeatable 10-point check (airspace, battery, weather, firmware, and home point) to run before every single flight.
Read the guideFlying legally
15 min · FreeHow to get LAANC authorization
Near-real-time approval to fly in controlled airspace: which app to use, how the UAS Facility Maps work, and the recreational vs. Part 107 difference.
Read the guide
10 min readHow to fly at night, legally
What changed in the 2021 rule, the anti-collision lighting standard, and the recreational reality. No waiver needed for Part 107.
Read the guideBetter footage
Not sure where to start?
Find out if you even need a license first
Two questions, 30 seconds. Our free tool tells you exactly what the FAA requires of you: a Part 107 license, the free TRUST test, registration, and Remote ID.
Check what you need