Before you can even think of operating a drone, you need to get it registered and certified with the FAA (unless it weighs 0.55 pounds or less). Similarly to how you can’t fly an unlicensed airplane, you can’t operate a drone until its existence and specs have been registered with the government agency and certified to be safe to operate.
First, after purchasing a drone, you’ll need to visit the FAA’s drone website to fill out a registration form. This costs $5, so make sure you have a payment method handy. After you fill out the paperwork, you’ll receive an official registration number for your device. This number needs to be permanently placed on your drone, whether with permanent marker, engraving, or other similar methods. You should always have a copy of this registration on your person when operating the drone. For those flying under TRUST rules, one registration covers all of the drones you own. If you own multiple drones and are flying under Part 107 rules, they will each need to be registered in this manner.
Certification does not require documentation. For those operating under Part 107 rules, you need to perform a full pre-flight check every time you want to use your drone, ensuring each component is functioning properly. Additionally, should the FAA ever request an inspection or testing, you must make your drone available for either, as well as provide relevant documentation (specs, operation records, incident reports, etc.).
