If you require to operate a lagger commercially , you need to get a license . And yet , since the Federal Aviation Administration begin requiring license in 2016 , only one person has catch in difficulty for function a commercial-grade drone without one . And he was just given a smack on the carpus .

allot to records obtained by MarketWatchthrough a Freedom of Information Act request , there have only been four FAA licensing enforcement , of which only one was refer to flying a commercial drone without the proper licensing . And even in that illustration , the buffer was let off with a warning .

The pilot in interrogative , Jeffrey Slentz , was flying his DJI Phantom 3 droning over the Kauffman Stadium in Missouri ahead of a Royals game , MarketWatch reported . This was only day after the FAA implemented the licensing requirement . Slentz was filming aerial shots for a music video but was grasp by law as he landed the drone . But Slentz ultimately was just give a admonition alphabetic character asking him to get his license .

Argentina’s President Javier Milei (left) and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., holding a chainsaw in a photo posted to Kennedy’s X account on May 27. 2025.

An FAA representative tell in an email to Gizmodo that it “ strongly encourage conformation , ” and that they “ actively enforce all Part 107 regulation , over which we have sole authority , ” note that pilots who purposefully go against these rule might see a mulct of up to $ 30,000 per ravishment . The interpreter say that while the agency will consider enforcing the rules for those intentionally breach them and flee unsafely , the finish is to educate pilots and encourage them to follow the rules . affair is , And go by FAA ’s mental testing to experience a drone pipe cowcatcher license isreportedly a jumbo infliction in the nookie .

“ It ’s annoying that other trailer stage business are manoeuvre without a license and I have no militant advantage , ” Flo Minton , a Florida - ground photographer that has a remote pilot certificate distinguish MarketWatch . “ I hold up through all this bother to evanesce the trial to get my license , including paying for a subject area track and the run fee , and it take me week to study . ”

Taking the test assign pilot out around $ 150 just for the test fee . Pilots need a 70 percent account to authorise the 60 - doubtfulness test .

William Duplessie

It ’s important to take down that these licensing rule do n’t apply to anyone who want to take their drone out for a whirring . The regulation apply only to masses operate for commercial use , which includes the likes of photographers , vloggers , crop - sprayers , or archetype extradite goods via trailer . Hobbyists are exempt , though all bantam drones , flown by hobbyists and clientele pilots alike , need to be read .

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