WITH DRONES BEING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR GIFTS THIS HOLIDAY SEASON…THE ILLINOIS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S AERONAUTICS DIVISION IS ISSUING SOME REMINDERS BEFORE YOUR NEW TOY TAKES FLIGHT.

WHETHER YOU ARE A SERIOUS HOBBYIST OR AN OCCASIONAL BACKYARD DRONE USER…I-DOT FLIGHT SAFETY COORDINATOR JOE SAMUDOVSKY (sam-u-dovsky) SAYS THERE ARE SOME FEDERAL REGULATIONS YOU MUST FOLLOW.

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ADDITIONALLY, SAMUDOVSKY SAYS YOU NEED TO FOLLOW A FEW RULES WHEN USING YOUR NEW DRONE. THEY INCLUDE ALWAYS KEEPING THE DRONE WITHIN SIGHT, NOT FLYING OVER LARGE GROUPS OF PEOPLE AND NOT FLYING YOUR DRONE MORE THAN 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND.

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THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) IS PREDICTING AS MANY AS ONE MILLION DRONES WILL BE SOLD THIS CHRISTMAS.