The majority of people know that it is illegal to fly drones over DC, but this can be difficult to enforce as consumer models don’t require a license to own/operate, usually do not appear on radar and don’t broadcast their position to authorities. Even so, just recently, a drone flying at a low altitude, crashed on White House property and no alarms were set off. This posed as concrete proof that defense against these aerial crafts is a must in restricted airspace. So, it seems that the Secret Service is stepping up.

In a brief and vague statement of two paragraphs and 76 words, this agency indicated that drone exercises would be taking place “in the coming days and weeks” in areas that are “normally flight-restricted.” No specific dates, times or locations were mentioned. The statement also failed to mention the types of drones the Secret Service would be using or the reason(s) behind the drone exercises.

If you are a drone hobbyist, who flies small unmanned aircraft for recreational pleasure, please remember these current FAA guidelines:

• Keep your drone under 400 feet.
• Keep your drone at least 5 miles away from airports and other restricted areas.
• Do not fly your drone near the White House or U.S. Capitol.

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