SANFORD, Fla. — As drones become a popular Christmas gift, aviation experts warn that many new operators don’t know the rules before taking flight — contributing to a growing problem across Florida.

What You Need To Know • Florida sees rising numbers in unauthorized drone incidents, including flights near airports and theme parks • Millions of hobby drones remain unregistered, making airspace enforcement more challenging • Experts say most violations happen because new owners don’t understand federal rules • All recreational flyers must pass the FAA’s TRUST safety test before taking off

While the FAA lists 822,039 registered drones in the United States, millions of unregistered hobby drones are believed to be in the air, and many end up flying in restricted areas.

Pilot and dron

See Full Page