Christmas 2015 alone, there were 400,000 drones purchased, which suggests it is safe to say that the usage of drones has gone well beyond the initial group of professionals and adapters. While drones have many professional roles including surveillance, photography, and delivery, many people throughout the country now have drones for recreational usage, amateur photography, and just having fun.
Drone sales increased by 63% in just one year making the total industry worth roughly $3.3 billion dollars. Any drone that weighs more than .55 pounds has to be registered with the FAA, and there are currently 770,000 drones registered.
There are several FAA rules and regulations that apply to drones that must be followed. For example, they cannot be flown over 400 feet high and they cannot be flown within five miles of an airport without specific permission.
The sale of commercial, professional, and hobby drones are expected to skyrocket by 2020. In addition to significantly impacting the drone manufacturing industry, this increase in sales also opens the doors for massive growth in a newer industry; drone repair.
Drone repair service is also ready a need and you can look up a drone technician in your area. However, with the massive increase in drone usage for both commercial and hobby, there demand for drone repair will skyrocket. Companies that regularly utilize drones will need in-house technicians. Drone hobbyist will need access to drone technicians.
While you will always have the owners that are extremely knowledgeable and can repair their own drones, with the growth that is already happening, the majority of hobbyist will likely be unable to do their own repairs. Additionally, with mote people getting drones as gifts or using a drone for the first time, there is an increased risk of drone accidents, which again, will result in the increased need for repairs.
In addition to finding a local drone repair technician, hew owners will benefit from hobby groups that can share common drone mistakes for them to avoid and the best places to fly your drone in your area. Talking to others in your area that already own and use drones is the best approach.
Drones make great gifts, and they are very popular among men in particular making it the perfect gift for that guy in your life that you never know what to buy for. Advice before buying is to look into drone repair services, registration needs, and places to use them. That way when you present your gift, you can also present everything you’ve learned so the new drone owner won’t have to worry about it. You can even register the drone for them prior to giving the gift, so it can be used right away.
Finally, it is also important to look into local laws. Drones have caused a stir in many communities as people feel their privacy is being violated by drone operators. While in most situations, the drone operator has the law on their side, some local communities have passed ordinances regarding drone usage. Knowing if there are any ordinances and what they are before purchasing may save you a great deal of money.
