Thinking of Buying a Drone for the holidays; Know the Law, Before you Buy and Fly. Pomona is a NO DRONE ZONE.

 

The Federal Aviation Administration expects over a million drones to be sold during the holiday season. In preparation for this wave of drones to be in the sky, new laws are now in place. The FAA has partnered with several industry professionals to promote the "Know Before You Fly" campaign to educate the public about using unmanned aircraft responsibly.

The city of Pomona is situated between 3 small (La Verne, Chino & Upland) and 1 large (Ontario) airport. The FAA prohibits flying drones within a 5 mile radius of any airport. Therefore, flying a drone within the city of Pomona is illegal.

Flying in approved areas or with a flying club is recommended with the following guidelines in mind; Fly Below 400 feet, stay clear of surrounding obstacles, keep the aircraft within sight at all times, do not interfere with manned aircrafts, do not fly near people or large public events and the aircraft cannot exceed 55 pounds.

Starting December 21st, 2015, ALL drones must be registered. Registration is free for 30 days. A $5 fee will charged after that time. All drones must be registered no later than February 19, 2016. Owners must be at least 13 years old. Go to FAA.gov for more details.