LEXINGTON, Ky. (FOX 56) — With less than two weeks until Christmas, you may still be searching for the perfect gift for any tech lovers in your family.

Drones have become a very popular gift in recent years, as of May 2022, there were more than 855,000 drones registered in the United States by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

But before you press buy on a drone for that special someone in your life, there are some things to be mindful of.

First is the act of getting your drone registered by the FAA.

Kentucky news:

You will need to classify under one of two categories as a drone user: recreational or under Part 107 (commercial, government, or other nonrecreational purposes).

Regardless of which category you register in you will need to fulfill all the following requirements:

• 13 years of age or older (if the owner is less than 13 years of age, a person 13 years of age or older must register the drone)
• A U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident.
• For foreign operators, FAA will consider the certificate issued to be a recognition of ownership rather than a certificate of U.S. aircraft registration.
• Pay the $5 registration fee
• Pass The Recreational UAS Safety Test

You will also need the following information:

• Physical address and mailing address (if different from physical address)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Make and model of your drone
• Specific Remote ID serial number provided by the manufacturer (if applicable)
• Credit or debit card

Each state has its own set of laws for drones to abide by.

Here in Kentucky, there are two laws, which puts the state on the fairly relaxed side compared to much of the U.S.

The first is House Bill 540 which prohibits the use of drones near airports, introduced to enforce safety in airspaces.

It says drone users cannot take off, land, or operate a drone in restricted airspace areas as a means to protect people or property.

The second law is Senate Bill 157 which hits a little closer to home.

“With Kentucky specifically, you can’t just fly your drone anywhere, says Communication Specialist for Go. Verizon Alex Cremer. “If you are flying it around in a neighborhood that could result in trespassing which could result in a misdemeanor, and nobody wants that.”

Now Kentucky has some beautiful spots to fly a drone and get photos or videos, but before taking to the skies, Cremer says it is important to be familiar with your equipment.

So, the FAA encourages you to always keep your drone in a visual line of site, meaning you can always see it,” Cremer explains, “That way you can avoid things like a crash, things like that. Additionally, I think flying your drone at a specific height is important as well so that you don’t run into object that could be around as well. And then not flying your drone any faster than 100 miles an hour is an FAA regulation.”