Keep your drone grounded around fireworks on the 4th of July

Chances are if you own a drone you have thought about filming your 4th of July fireworks from the air. While an aerial perspective would make quite a good video to look back on, the FAA reminded us last Saturday that drones and fireworks do not mix well together.

Flying might be a bad idea

Current regulations set in place prevent pilots from flying above 400 feet, within 5 miles of an airport, beyond line-of-sight and over crowds of people. Some drone pilots speculate if it is lawful to fly at night time without a waiver, when the truth of the matter is, if you are flying for fun, it is not. Commercial pilots need a waiver when flying for their job, at night. Currently, there is no restriction against flying through or near fireworks, but I think everyone can agree that it could potentially end up going south.

With fireworks being so random, even the most planned out shows can have a few mistakes in them, which leaves your flight a total guessing game. A stray explosion could send your drone spiraling back down to the earth, which could end up hurting someone on the ground… and your wallet.

During the day, get that bug out of your system and fly to your heart’s content, that is if the weather permits. Once it gets dark, throw those batteries on the charger and enjoy the fireworks with your family.

Happy 4th of July from everyone at the DroneDJ team! Stay safe.

What do you think about pilots flying their drones during firework shows? Let us know in the comments below.

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