While flying your drone around at top speeds and reaching crazy heights is certainly lots of fun, there are some risks involved. For one, you can damage your drone which is something we all want to avoid.
More importantly, you need to follow the rules and regulations regarding the speed, distance, and height of your drone when flying. Otherwise you could be hit with an expensive fine, have your drone confiscated, and even face jail time.
None of us want this of course, which is where this handy guide is here to help. It covers all the legal stuff you need to know about how fast, far, and high you can fly your drone. Thereâs a lot to cover, so weâve broken the guide into three sections – so letâs get started!
Flying a drone at high speeds is all kinds of fun. It is also quite difficult to control and there are certain rules you could easily break when flying around at top speeds, so this section covers all the rules and technical aspects about how fast you can fly a drone.
How Fast Can a Drone Fly?
Well, as clichéd as this sounds, it does all depends on the individual drone.
You see, much like motor vehicles, drone speed is based on many factors, namely the size of the drone, the size and power of the electrical motor, the UAVâs design and purpose, plus external factors such as the weather.
For instance, those small toy drones designed for kids arenât going to reach anywhere near the same speed as the top of the line DJI camera drones. And even then, the most popular camera drones donât have the highest speeds, which belongs to the appropriately named racing drones!
Racing Drones – with top speeds up to 100mph
As the name suggests, racing drones are designed for high octane racing so clock the fastest speeds of any drone. Most average at around 70mph-100mph, with a few even capable of exceeding 100mph, so weâre talking about some serious speed here!
Because these drones are purpose built for racing, they weigh much less than consumer drones and donât come with the same bells and whistles. Most have FPV cameras (First Person View) for navigating during a race, otherwise they wonât have much in the way of features â these are all about speed!
There are also more budget-friendly racing drones that donât go as fast as 70mph but can still reach decent speeds, ranging from 20-50mph. These tend to lack an FPV camera or anything else but offer the chance to try out a fast flying drone for an affordable price.
Some of the fastest racing drones available to buy include the Emax Hawk 5 (100mph+), FuriBee X215 PRO (70-80mph), and ImmersionRC Vortex (60-70mph).
Commercial Drones – with top speeds up to 70mph
The most popular commercial drones on the market are camera drones, with manufacturer DJI currently dominating this market with their amazing line of drones such as the Mavic Pro 2, Spark, Mavic Air, and Phantom 4 Pro.
While these drones are mostly designed for taking photos and videos, they also provide a fun flying experience that comes with some fast speeds, thanks to the impressive motors used in many of these drones.
Most average at around 40-50mph, with some models focusing on speed and offering closer to 70mph. For instance, the DJI Mavic Pro has a top speed of 45mph while the Yuneec Typhoon H Pro clocks a top speed of 70mp!
These drones offer a nice balance between high speed flying and the ability to capture incredible footage using high-quality cameras. However, these arenât the fastest drones on the market, so if you want unrivalled speed, youâll want to look for something different.
Toy Drones – with top Speeds up to 10mph
Designed for children looking to try their hand a flying, toy drones are very small and lightweight UAVs, often weighing just a couple of ounces and will fit in the size of your hand.
Due to their small size, toy drones arenât the fastest, usually reaching top speeds of between 5-10mph. This is actually ideal for young pilots, as itâs not too fast so learning to fly and handling the drone is much easier, while the top speeds still offer plenty of fun for kids to enjoy.
Plus, these drones are very affordable, making them a great gift for any young aspiring drone pilots!
Why Top Speeds Need to Be Taken with a Pinch of Salt
Now, weâve just given a rundown of the average top speeds for different types of drones, but itâs worth saying these numbers should be taken with a pinch of salt.
While the top speeds that are released by the manufacturer of the drone are accurate, they donât consider external factors that will always influence the speed when flying outdoors.
The biggest external factor that impacts a droneâs speed is the wind. Wind speeds greatly influence how fast a drone can fly.
For instance, flying up wind will significantly reduce the top speed, so if your drone had a top speed of 45mph and the wind speed is 25mph (a typical strong breeze), then the top speed will only be 20mph.
On the other hand, flying down wind can increase the speed of the drone because of the wind velocity. In this case, a 45mph drone speed would increase to 70mph!
Another external factor that will influence how fast a drone can fly is a payload. Any time you add something to the drone, such as another camera or a new sensor, you increase itâs total weight capacity.
This in turn reduces the top speed, as the drone is carrying additional weight. Adding a payload is more common on consumer camera drones, as racing drones arenât designed to carry extra weight because this would lower its speed.
Rain has a similar effect, adding weight into the drone that will lower speed, although most avoid flying in the rain anyway as the moisture could damage the drone.
Simply put, youâll rarely find a drone reaches it top speed when flying outside because of the weather. The calmer the weather the faster the drone goes!
Is there a Drone Speed Limit?
Yes, there is a legal speed limit for drones! However, this only applies to commercial drone pilots, so if youâre flying for fun you wonât need to worry about this.
Those flying for work will need to follow the 100mph speed limit set by the FAA. This is a pretty generous maximum speed limit, as most drones getting used for commercial purposes wonât even reach these speeds.
If flying recreationally, you can fly as fast as you want providing you follow the standard drone operating rules (i.e. flying within max altitude of 400ft, flying within your line of sight, not flying over people, flying within community-based guidelines).
That said, youâll struggle to find a drone that reaches upwards of 100mph, with most racing drones having top speeds ranging from 70-100mph.
How Drones Generate Speed
So, how exactly does a drone generate speed? Itâs all about gravity. Or more specifically, fighting against gravity!
Most drones are quadcopters, which have four rotors that help generate the power to lift them into the air. Rotors give quadcopters the lift they need to fight gravity and hover in the air, with more rotors meaning more lift – this is why quadcopters have four rotors!
With this design, quadcopters are great at hovering in place, making them the best choice for taking photos and videos – hence why quadcopters are the most common design for consumer drones!
Of course, drones do more than hover – they move in every direction!
Drones achieve this by tipping itself sideways in the desired direction, with the rear motors (relative to its orientation) giving it the necessary thrust to move. At the same time, the front rotors continue to maintain the lift needed to keep the drone airborne while moving.
The more the drone tips, the more speed it produces!
However, if you try going too fast the drone might tilt too far, with the front rotors no longer being in the right position to provide the lift needed to fight gravity, causing the drone to fall to the ground.
This is why racing drones have a different design to most consumer drones
Instead of having a symmetrical design like most camera drones, racing drones feature a forward heavy design that lowers the front rotors while the rear rotors are slightly higher.
This design allows racing drones to fly forwards at higher speeds while reducing the risk of tilting too far when turning. On the other hand, itâs not as stable when hovering, making it less suitable for photography.
Furthermore, racing drones much lighter and will use various design features to give them speed advantage in the air.
Frames are made from strong but lightweight materials such as carbon fibre, unnecessary sensors and components are removed, and propellers with aerodynamic designs are used – anything to make the drone faster!
Things to Remember When Flying a Drone at Top Speed
- Start slow, and build up
- Find the right area to fly
- Bring spare parts!
Itâs important to remember that flying a drone at top speeds requires a different approach to casually flying around and taking photos and videos. This is especially true if you have a racing drone – these bad boys need a lot of practice to master!
Start Slow
Now, this may seem to go against the entire point of flying a drone at high speeds but hear me out – you donât want to start flying a racing drone if its your first time flying a drone.
Simply put, youâre not going to have much fun as youâll probably struggle to control the drone at high speed when you first fly. Start by getting a feeling for the thrust of your drone – this is where all the speed comes from so it helps to learn this first.
Try hovering at different levels, increasing and decreasing the throttle to get a feel for the controls, then start to try turning at increasing speeds. Practice makes perfect, so donât be afraid to start slower to help learn the controls, as this will make flying at fast speeds much easier and more enjoyable.
Find the Right Area to Fly
You always want to find an open area for high speed flying, as this ensures you have plenty of space to fly without worrying about crashing. The big risk of flying your drone fast is itâs more likely to crash into something, especially if youâre still learning the controls.
A big open park or field is ideal, giving plenty of room to fly around as fast as you like with less risk of crashing. Itâs also good for practicing flying at different speeds, heights, and for learning how to turn at higher speeds.
Bring Spare Parts!
Flying a drone fast is great fun but also quite risky – there is a good chance youâre going to crash a few times! This is all part of the learning curve, which is why itâs good to be prepared by bringing spare parts should your drone crash.
Bring spare propellers and an additional battery if possible – flying at top speed drains the battery faster so youâll get less flying time.
How Can I Increase My Drone Speed?
Have you tasted the thrill of high-speed drone flying but want even more? The good news is you can increase your drone speed with some tinkering. Itâs very popular in the racing drone community, with all the fastest drone records coming from modified racing drones.
This isnât too difficult either! You can buy a few new parts online and switch them out on your current drone and find it becomes instantly faster. You could even build it yourself if you feel confident!
Building a DIY racing drone may seem daunting but itâs not that complex, providing you have the necessary parts and tools. YouTube has loads of great video tutorials that can help you build from scratch or just replace some parts.
Here are a few ways that you can make your drone go faster:
New Propellers
Upgrading propellers is one of the easiest ways to make your drone fly faster. Along with the motors, propellers generate all the speed for a drone, so by purchasing aerodynamic propellers design for high speed flying, you can immediate increase the drone speed with very little effort.
These propellers are usually larger and have a unique angle that gives them more thrust on fewer rotations, allowing the drone to move quicker.
Brushless Motors
Much like propellers, upgrading motors can significantly increase the speed of the drone. Motors give the drone the thrust it needs to hover and move, so when there is a better motor the drone becomes much faster.
Brussels motors are generally viewed as the best upgrade for getting more speed. They are more efficient, getting more power per amp draw from the battery, although they will increase the weight of the drone and may need a bigger battery.
Lithium-ion Batteries
To accommodate a more powerful motor, youâll want a better battery that can handle the additional power requirements without adding too much weight. Lithium-ion batteries are the best choice for this.
The more cells in the battery the more voltages the motors receive, increasing the RPMS to make them go faster. Cells are measured with a number followed by an S, with a higher number meaning more cells in the battery.
Make sure itâs not too heavy too – compare several similar rated batteries (e.g. a 4S battery) and choose the lightest one you can find!
Lightweight
If youâre confident of building a drone from scratch, buying a lightweight frame and attaching all the components is a good way to squeeze more speed from the UAV.
These frames are made from materials such as carbon fibre and have an aerodynamic design that adjusts the arms towards the direction of thrust, helping to generate more speed.
Look for thinner arms on these frames, as this helps to keep the weight low while providing more aerodynamics.
Build or Buy – The Best Choice for a Faster Drone
If you want a fast drone you have two choices – buy one or build it yourself.
Benefits of Buying a Drone
Letâs get the positives of buying the drone out the way first. Obviously, this is a lot easier to do as you wonât need to learn anything about building a drone from scratch!
Itâs also generally much cheaper to buy a drone than build it yourself, mainly because custom builds use advanced parts and require special tools. You will find many affordable drones are capable of fast flying, so if you donât want to spend too much buying a budget-friendly model is easy enough.
Plus, it will take some time to build a drone yourself – you can fly it straight from the box when buying it new.
If you want to fly a drone at high speeds and capture some good video and photos, then buying one is a better choice. High-end camera drones offer a nice amount of speed and plenty of other features that you can enjoy, so itâs not like you wonât be having fun flying around at high speeds.
Additionally, itâs easy to buy a racing drone that will clock top speeds between 70-100mp. These are far from slow and are great fun to fly!
Benefits of Building Your Own Drone
So, you may be wondering why exactly youâd want to build your own drone considering all the advantages of buying it new!
Well, the answer is quite simple – building a drone is great fun and very fulfilling to do!
Moreover, if you want to fly a drone as fast as you possibly can, then building it yourself is the best way to go. This is because you are in charge of choosing all the parts for the drone, so you can select all the parts needed for a faster drone.
Itâs built exactly to your requirements and you can easily upgrade as you go along! If youâre someone that loves build, tinker, and or even just challenge yourself to achieve something new, then I highly recommend building your own drone.
The Fastest Drone in the World
To highlight just how fast drones can go, I want to give a quick shout out to the fastest drone in the world – the DRL RacerX.
A custom-built drone crafted by Ryan Guy and his team (who are part of the Drone Racing League), the RacerX clocked an incredible 163.5mph!
As if that wasnât impressive enough, the top speed it reached was actually 179.6mph, with the world record being an average speed of two flights across a 328-ft course.
The appropriately named RacerX is a lightweight drone at just 1.76lb, boasting a 42V powertrain, 2 x 1,300Ah lithium-ion batteries, and a proprietary frame.
Guy and his team had been working on the design of the drone for several years before successfully achieving the Guinness World Record on July 13th, 2017 – will the world record be broken any time soon?
What is the Drone Racing League?
The Drone Racing League is the place to find the fastest racing drones competing for glory. Itâs a competitive racing league that has become hugely popular in recent years, showing just how far drone flying has come from being a niche hobby!
Drone racing involves custom built racing drones flying through various courses that feature all kinds of obstacles to navigate past. The racing in the DRL is known as FPV racing – drone pilots wear googles that offer a first-person view from the droneâs camera.
These custom quadcopters are capable reaching ridiculous speeds (up to 120mph!) and the skills that the pilots need to navigate courses at these speeds are insane!
For instance, racing drones in the DRL have no flight assistance features such as stabilizers, making them faster and more agile but also much tougher to control. Thatâs before you even consider the crazy tricks and flicks that pilots use to win races!
Best of all – anyone can join!
Granted, youâll need to develop your flying skills to a very high level but the DRL is open to all. Look for FPV meetups in your area, which offer the chance to see what skills you need to develop.
Of course, thereâs no need to join a formal competition – even just racing with friends or making videos of yourself flying your drone is a great way to dip your toe into the world of FPV drone racing.
Most importantly, the DRL is a thriving community of drone racing enthusiasts. You can watch races, meet with fellow pilots, and learn all the fundamentals of high-speed drone racing with people that love flying drones.
Section Two – How Far Can a Drone Fly?
Now that weâve covered everything about drone speed, itâs time to look at something just as important – the drone range. Thereâs no point having a drone that can take awesome photos or race at high speeds if it canât travel far!
The range of a drone is the distance from the transmitter in the controller to the receiver in the drone itself. Much like the speed, the range of the drone varies quite a bit from each product. Some can fly long distances, others far less, so youâll always want to check how far a drone can fly before you buy it!
How Far Can a Drone Fly?
Again – it depends entirely on the drone!
For instance, an entry-level toy drone is usually short-range, meaning it will struggle to fly further than a few meters.
On the other hand, high-end consumer drones such as the DJI Mavic 2 Pro can fly up to 8 miles! There are also drones that fall in the middle, with ranges varying from a few hundred meters to a mile or two.
As you can see, there is quite a difference between the ranges of each drone!
Long Range Drones
High-end consumer drones such by DJI, Yuneec, and Altair are also known as long-range drones due to the fact they have the highest range of any drone on the market. Outside of building your own drone with the best parts, there wonât be drones that can fly further than these models.
At a quick glance, itâs clear that DJI drones can fly over the longest distances. These feature exceptional cameras capable of capturing breath-taking aerial photos and video, so they need to be able to travel far and wide to achieve this.
For example, the DJI Mavic 2 Pro has the best range of any consumer drone – it has a whopping 8-mile range! Others with impressive ranges include the Mavic Zoom 2 (5miles), Inspire 2 Pro (4.3 miles) and the Phantom 4 Pro (4.3 miles).
When compared to other high-end drones, there is no competition, with DJI drones being almost unrivalled in terms of their range.
For comparisons sake, the Yuneec Typhoon H has a 1-mile range, the Holy Stone HS 100 a 500-meter range, and the Altair Aerial Blackhawk a 300-meter range.
Of course, the big drawback with the best long-range drones are the prices – expect to pay upwards of $1000 if you want a drone that can fly far!
Mid-Range Drones
For the budget-conscious pilot, there are many drones with a good middle range that are available for a more affordable price. These ranges are usually under one mile, ranging from 100-500 meters on average.
While this may seem like the drone canât travel as far as a DJI drone, itâs still a very good range for most pilots. Being able to fly for several hundred meters is very impressive and more than enough for hobbyists looking to take photos, videos, and just check out some awesome views from their drone.
These drones are typically less than $500 (some are just a few hundred) and are equipped with good quality cameras, decent flight times, and plenty of nice extras that make them a great all-round drone.
Examples of mid-range consumer drones with the best flying distances include the Hubsan H501S X4 (300m), Altair Aerial Blackhawk (300-500m), Holy Stone HS 100 (500m), and Outlaw SE (600m).
Short Range Drones
If you arenât too fussed about flying a drone far and wide, then short range drones offer plenty of fun for an affordable price. Typically costing less than $100, these drones have a relatively short range and a few basic extras such as a low-quality camera and some beginner-friendly flight modes.
Given the low price, these drones donât offer much range, usually around 50-150m, making them better suited for beginners and casual hobbyists. Some of the better short-range drones include the UDI U818 Plus (150m), Holy Stone F181W (100m), and Ryze Tello (100m).
How the Controller Determines a Droneâs Range
The biggest factor that determines how far a drone can fly (beyond the type of drone being flown) is the controller it uses.
When you buy a drone, the distance it can travel is the maximum range between the transmitter in controller and the receiver in the drone.
Various factors will further influence a droneâs range, including the frequency band used, the position of the controller, the antenna on the controller, and the power of the transmitter. Letâs take a look at each of these and see how it can influence how far a drone can travel!
Controller Frequency
Most drone controllers use the 2.4Ghz frequency band. The frequency band is where the radio waves are transmitted from the antenna of the controller to the receiver on the drone, with 2.4Ghz being the most widely used.
Transmitters can also operate on the higher 5.8Ghz frequency, while some drones (like the Phantom can switch between 2.4Ghz and 5.8Ghz. There are a few notable differences between each one that can influence a droneâs range
For example, 2.4Ghz offers more coverage, meaning the controller has a better range than those using the 5.8Ghz frequency. This is because the higher frequency canât travel through solid objects (such as a tree or building), although the transmission speed is much quicker compared to 2.4Ghz.
This means that the drone range on 2.4Ghz will be higher but the connection could be slow, reducing the distance because of slower transmissions.
Other devices, such as mobile phones, can also cause interference on 2.4Ghz. Because itâs one of the most used frequency bandwidths, there is usually a lot of different devices that can potentially interfere with the signal.
Conversely, 5Ghz has fewer devices meaning less chance of interference. If the drone can switch between frequencies, you can change to 5.8Ghz for faster transmission, although the range will be reduced as a result.
Controller and Drone Position
Where you position the controller in relation the drone also determines the range. For instance, if you fly in a wide-open field with no obstructions then youâll be able to use the droneâs maximum range.
However, if there are objects in the way they will interfere with the transmission, with objects that are directly between the controller and the drone causing the most interference. Those that arenât directly between the drone and controller still cause interference too, it just wonât be as significant.
In either case, the range of the drone may be reduced due to the interference caused. This is why itâs always recommended to fly in open spaces, as there is less chance of interference that can potentially reduce how far the drone can fly from your position.
Controller Antenna
Both the drone and controller have an antenna to send and receive the radio wave signals on the different frequency bands. The type of antenna can influence a droneâs range!
For instance, an omnidirectional antenna sends and receives signals equally in every direction while a unidirectional antenna sends and receives signals in one direction. Unidirectional antenna transmits signals further than omnidirectional, making them a better choice for long-range drones.
Can I Increase a Droneâs Range?
Of course, many consumer drones can fly distances of several miles – so how is this achieved when most drone transmitters come with a standard range of aroundone mile?
They extend the range of the controller! Many high-end drones have specially designed transmitters that use advanced technology to increase the increase the drone range limit – itâs how many DJI drones can fly distances of several miles.
It is also possible to increase the range of a drone my modifying the controller yourself! Some technical know-how is recommended, although itâs certainly possible to learn it all from scratch.
Here are some of the ways that you can increase a droneâs range:
Install a new antenna – Most drones come with a 2dB antenna but you can upgrade this to a 4dB or 5dB antenna to increase the range by around 30-50%. Itâs easy to install and you can add them to both the drone and controller.
Upgrade the power booster – By adding a new power booster to the transmitter you can expect a higher power output and more range
Buy a new transmitter – An improved transmitter with more power and multiple channels is a great way to extend the range of the drone without needing to modify anything yourself.
Use a UHF device – Connecting an ultra-high frequency device, such as DragonLink, to the transmitter lets you use much lower frequencies that provide greater range for the drone. Even dropping to 1.2Ghz can increase the range by 20-30 miles!
How Far Can You Fly a Drone Legally?
We may have just explained how easy it is to increase how far a drone can travel – that doesnât mean you should do it. This is because you may find that flying too far away will get you in trouble with the law!
Current drone laws state that you must always fly a drone within your line of sight, so by increasing the range and flying your drone far away, you may find youâve accidentally broken the law and could have your drone confiscated or receive a huge fine!
There are some other important things to remember when trying to push a droneâs range limit!
You will need to check with local laws regarding the frequencies you can operate on. Thereâs a chance you canât operate on certain lower frequencies that are used by airports or possible the military – always check before using these just to be safe.
Furthermore, when flying long distances, you must be aware of restricted airspaces in the area. You may not realise youâve flown into restricted airspace given the long distances being flown, but you are still liable should you accidently fly into an airport or near a control tower.
If you think you can fly a drone anywhere remember – you canât fly within five miles of an airport or restricted airspace. Also, there are certain places such as national parks, sport stadiums, and areas where public events are being hosted that are off limits.
Tips for Flying Your Drone Further
Unless you have a very specific need to fly your drone several miles away, most consumer drone range limits will be more than enough. Even just one mile is a long distance for a drone, with most recreational pilots not needing to go further than a few hundred meters from their location.
However, there are various things that can reduce the range of drone, so it helps to know what steps you can take to make sure your drone can fly to its maximum range!
Increase Altitude for Better Transmission
When flying at a higher altitude you can bypass most of the transmission issues that occur between a controller and drone. For example, when flying high enough you wonât need to worry about cell phones interfering the frequency as youâre avoiding most of the signals at high altitudes.
Make Sure the Batteries are Charged
You need to make sure the drone batteries are charged and offer enough runtime to fly within the drone range limit! This include enough battery to from return from the maximum distance.
Try Flying in Open Spaces with No Obstacles
As previously mentioned, obstacles can slow down the transmission and reduce the overall range of a drone, so by flying in open areas like a field or spacious park you can reduce the chances of obstacles blocking or slowing transmissions to the drone.
Common objects you want to avoid include buildings, vehicles, trees, and power line towers. Open areas offer the best connection between controller and drone, so will let you fly at maximum range more often than not!
Use the Right Frequency
2.4Ghz is the standard frequency bandwidth for most drones for good reason – it lets you control the drone from longer distances. That said, many now operate on 5.8Ghz, which has fewer devices so less interference but also has a shorter range than 2.4Ghz.
If your drone can switch between frequencies, always use 2.4Ghz when you need more range.
Transmitter Over Phone
Controlling your drone via smartphone can be great fun but its also going to significantly reduce the transmission range. A phone will struggle to give you more than a 100 or so meters range, so make sure to use the controller included with the drone – you could even buy a better one to further increase the range!
Make Some Upgrades
There are several ways that you can upgrade your drone and its controller to extend the range by some distance. This includes buying a new controller, adding range extender, adding an ultra-frequency device, upgrading the power booster and/or antenna.
Section Three – How High Can a Drone Fly?
Now itâs time to cover how high drones can get and the important rules you need to follow regarding drone height. Itâs important to note that the maximum flying height for drones is not always within legal restrictions, so you may end up accidentally breaking the law if you fly your drone too high!
Of course, we donât want you getting hit with a costly fine or have your drone confiscated, which is where this guide will help. It covers all the laws regarding how high you are allowed to fly a drone, along with some other important rules that you need to be aware of when flying high outside.
How High Can You Fly a Drone Legally?
Letâs get the most important rule covered first. If youâre wondering what the legal height is to fly a drone it is quite simple to remember – no more than 400ft in the air.
Remember, many drones can reach much higher than this height, but that doesnât mean you can exceed 400ft. This is one of the most important drone laws in Part 107 of FAA regulations (which covers all rules for UAV use in the USA) and should never be overlooked – never fly at an altitude above 400ft!
If you live outside the USA the rules are quite similar. For example, you can fly at a maximum altitude of 500ft in most EU countries. Some have different rules though so always be sure to double check with local authorities if you are unsure.
There is one exception to FAA part 107. You are allowed to fly above 400ft if the drone is flown within a 400ft of a structure. This is a rare instance and would mostly occur for commercial drone pilot operations, such as inspection work on a cell tower, survey work on a bridge, or an emergency response.
Itâs possible to apply for a waiver to fly above this height too, although youâd need to prove you can show that you can fly safely under the waiver without the risk of endangering other people or aircraft.
In most cases, you wonât be approved for a waiver to fly above the legal limit of 400ft.
Other Important Rules to Follow in Part 107
You may find no need to ever fly above 400ft, in which case you might assume there are no laws to worry about when flying at certain heights. The truth is the complete opposite – there are several rules in Part 107 that you need to be aware of when flying your drone high outside.
Always Maintain a Visual Line of Sight
You must always maintain a visual line of sight when flying a drone outside! Even if youâre flying well below the 400ft limit, if you lose sight of the drone then youâre now breaking the law.
Of course, many top drones have FPV functions that let you keep track of the drone from further afield. Even when using FPV googles you still need to maintain a line of vision with the drone, although you can use a second person (i.e. a spotter) to keep the drone in sight when using googles.
If using a spotter, keep in mind that they need to maintain the line if sight with the naked eye. That means no assistance from binoculars.
Simply put – when flying outside at least one person needs to always see the drone with the naked eye.
Do Not Fly Over Other People
Another very important rule to remember when flying at any height is that you cannot fly above other people or vehicles. Not only is this an invasion of privacy because the drone has a camera, itâs also a safety risk should the drone fall from the sky and collide with a person or vehicle.
Whether itâs a large group or one person is irrelevant – donât fly the drone above anyone when flying outside!
You can fly above the flight crew but anyone else is off limits. Keep this in mind if you want to fly the drone above a beach, park, or in most public areas. Itâs mostly common sense and respecting the privacy of others.
Avoid Restricted Spaces
The most obvious restricted airspace to avoid when flying a drone is airports. The reason that the 400ft restriction is in place is because most commercial aircraft fly above this height, meaning the drone could interfere with air traffic when going higher than 400ft.
This also means that airport airspace is highly restricted. Obviously, you cannot fly above an airport – you canât even fly within 5 miles of one without consent! If you want to fly closer to an airport, youâll need to contact the airport and request permission.
If doing this, theyâll ask various questions about how high you are flying the drone, how far from the airport you are flying, what time you are flying, the duration of the flying, and your exact location when piloting the drone.
There are some less obvious restricted places you need to be mindful of too. For example, stadiums and sports events are a no go, which makes sense considering you canât fly above people and it is a commercial event that you could record using the camera.
Similarly, youâre not permitted to fly above community events, emergency response situations, and national parks. Again, use common sense and you should be fine.
Follow Community Based Guidelines
Cities, towns, and small communities may have their own guidelines in place regarding how high you can fly a drone and other rules for drone operation. You need to follow these if applicable, so be sure to check with a local authority to determine if there are other rules in place beyond those in Part 107.
If you canât find any community-based guidelines for drone piloting, simply follow the rules in Part 107. Those that do have their own guidelines are typically an extension of Part 107, meaning you wonât be able to break any of the FAA rules.
Donât Drink and Fly
The FAA doesnât want drunk pilots operating drones for obvious reasons. Flying a drone is difficult enough sober, so image the type of chaos that can occur when a drunk pilot is trying to fly their drone outside!
Plus, a drunk pilot is more likely to break FAA drone rules, which is why you canât have a blood alcohol level above 0.04%. The consequences of drunk flying are more severe for commercial pilots too, with their drone pilot licence being revoked and essentially receiving a lifetime ban.
How High Can a Drone Fly?
I briefly mentioned that drones can fly above 400ft but felt it was important to emphasise that it is against the rules in Part 107. However, itâs worth looking at the fact that despite it being illegal many consumer drones can fly much higher than 400ft.
Most consumer drones come with software that limit the maximum altitude. This helps ensure they avoid flying above the legal limit, while also making drone operation more beginner-friendly, which is why most beginner modes on drones have altitude restrictions.
For example, the DJI Phantom 4 Pro has a default altitude setting of 400ft.
This is the legal limit, so anyone flying this drone shouldnât have any concern about flying above 400ft. However, the Phantom 4 Pro can fly much higher than 400ft – it has a maximum altitude of 19,658ft (6000m)!
Before you get excited and start thinking about flying high into the earthâs atmosphere, itâs worth remembering that it would be near impossible to get this high with a Phantom 4 Pro. The battery wouldnât last, the transmission would be too far away to control the drone, and the weather would probably destroy it before it got anywhere near this height
Furthermore, this is not a common maximum altitude for every consumer drone, with most high-end drones having an altitude limit of around 16,000ft (500m). Known as high altitude drones, these are ideal for capturing amazing video and photos at high altitudes, while you can tinker with the software to exceed maximum settings.
It is even possible to go higher by hacking the software of high-altitude drones! Bear in mind that if you attempt to modify a droneâs software you may void any warranty you have with the product.
Of course, not all drones can reach such high altitudes. Many canât even reach the 400ft limit! For instance, a cheap toy drone that costs under $100 will struggle to reach altitudes higher than 100ft, while even mid-range drones may not manage to hit the 400ft mark.
Flying High Into the Sky
â How Some Pilots Have Pushed Their Drone to Unknown Heights (Literally!)
While Iâve just mentioned how most drones can fly well above 400ft but tend to be limited t around 1500ft due to software restrictions, some pilots viewed these limitations has nothing but a challenge.
There are several instances of drone pilots going well above the legal limit in their respective countries – some to dangerous heights.
For example, Russian drone pilot Denis Koryakin posted a video of his custom build drone reaching an incredible 33,000ft! He did this by building a custom drone using a racing frame, extra-long propellers, low-speed motors, and a 4S battery. The entire flight duration was just 26 minutes.
While flying to such heights is very dangerous due to commercial aircraft flying at these altitudes, the flight occurred nearby to StrejevoĂŻ in the Russian province of Siberia, which is a very remote location that likely sees very little air traffic.
Regardless, the video footage is spectacular and well worth watching – you can watch it here.
Another example of how high a drone can fly without any restrictions involves a Phantom 2 drone. This older DJI model managed to reach an altitude of 11,000ft! This footage was originally uploaded to YouTube before being removed – likely due to the laws the pilot broke when flying to such heights!
The video was briefly reuploaded by Dutch drone blog DroneWatch, although it was subsequently removed, possibly to avoid encouraging other pilots attempting to recreate the stunt!
While itâs fun to look at other pilots pushing a drone to its absolute limit, I cannot stress enough how important it is to restrict your flying height to legal restrictions where you live.
Yes, you may capture awesome footage but you could end up seriously damaging the drone, receiving a huge fine and/or having the drone confiscated, and even receive jail time in the worst-case scenarios!
Put it this way – the penalty for flying a drone over 400ft can include a civil fine of up to $27,500 or a criminal fine of up to $250,000!
Why a Fly Drones at High Altitudes?
You may be wondering why you would even want to fly a drone at high altitudes. When it comes to recreational flying, the most common reason for flying as high as you can is to take photos and videos.
As you can imagine, the aerial photography possible at 400ft is spectacular, as is the video footage you can capture. You can see the world from an entire new perspective and will take some of the most breath-taking photos and videos.
Of course, there are various commercial reasons to use high-altitude drones, with everything from surveying to mapping to emergency response. Its also become popular for professional photography, cinematography, and any industry that requires photos or videos for commercial purposes.
When it comes to flying commercially, remember that you need to acquire a drone pilot licence from the FAA and all the drone rules in Part 107 still apply, including the 400ft altitude limit.
The big difference is that commercial pilots are more likely to be approved for a waiver to fly the drone higher than 400ft. You need to show that you can fly safely without endangering other aircraft, people or property.
Tips for Flying a Drone at High Altitudes
Flying a drone several hundred feet into the air is a lot of fun but itâs also very difficult. Flying conditions are more extreme and you need to think more carefully about how youâre flying at any time.
Be Aware of the Weather
Winds become much stronger the higher the drone flies, so always be aware that the wind could be too powerful for your drone to handle. The last thing you want is for an expensive drone to be battered by high winds and to fall from the sky!
Prepare for Different Air Temperature and Density
Not only are you battling against high winds the higher you fly, you also need to deal with colder temperatures and thinner air. When the air is too thin the drone may struggle to generate the necessary lift to continue flying upwards, causing the drone motors to work harder to compensate.
When the air temperature is too cold the drone battery will take a severe hit and may even be permanently damaged, so avoid flying too high when its cooler outside.
If you arenât prepared for these conditions the drone may start to fall back down to earth before you realise it! So, check the conditions before you fly and always monitor the droneâs performance mid-flight.
Make Sure the Transmitter Reaches the Drone
An often-overlooked aspect of flying a drone to maximum altitude is whether the wireless technology used to control the drone can reach the same heights. The range of the transmitter (and therefore the drone) apply regardless of the direction your fly – go too high and it might disconnect with your drone!
For example, most drones use the 2.4Ghz frequency band which has a range of 2-3miles. This should be more than enough to reach 400ft, although interferences from other signals and objects could limit this – fly in wide-open spaces to ensure there are no connection issues.
Keep an Eye on the Battery
Because the weather is harsher the higher you fly, the drone works much harder to maintain its flight path and stability, meaning the batteries will drain quicker than normal. So, make sure you fly with a fully charged battery and continue to monitor when you reach high altitudes.
If you donât, the battery may run out before you get a chance to land, causing the drone to fall back down to earth from some serious heights. This could cause extensive damage so always make sure you have enough battery to land safely – itâs a good idea to begin your decent once the battery hits around 40%.
Conclusion
There is nothing comparable to flying a drone at high speeds or soaring high into the sky. However, itâs important to remember there are restrictions in place that will limit how fast, how far, and how high you can fly a drone.
In the case of speed and distance, its mostly drone to the individual drone. Racing drones offer unrivalled speed but arenât great for photography and videography, while they lack the same range and height as the top camera drones.
Consumer camera drones can reach impressive speeds, but this can vary from each model, while there are also high-altitude models that are perfect for capturing photos and recording video footage.
There are rules you will need to follow, especially regarding how high you can fly, otherwise itâs mainly down to the capabilities of your drone.