PHOENIX — The Federal Aviation Administration is warning people that their new Christmas present may come with more responsibilities than they thought.
The FAA is starting its 12 Days of Drones outreach program to help explain to people that drones are actually regulated aircraft, not toys.
"You bought this really cool thing, there are some rules for that," Kevin Morris with the FAA said. "And there's some really good reasons for those rules."
There are rules about where and when you can fly a drone. There are rules about what equipment you need to have to fly them and even rules about how you use your drone.
For instance, flying for money requires a license through the FAA. Flying for fun does not.
"The FAA looks at that drone as an aircraft," Morris said. "That really helps folks understand why the rules are important and why everyone needs to fly safely."
The FAA is also in charge of enforcement and the fines for violating an FAA rule can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
And these are rules that you probably won't find in the instruction booklet that came with your drone. That's why the FAA wants people to check their website to find out what they're supposed to do.
"We really don't want to make that first flight your last flight," Morris said.
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