Who Is This Guide For?

This guide is for Minnesota professionals who want to use drones for work or business. Whether you’re capturing your own photos or hiring contractors, this guide will help you navigate and comply with local, state, and Federal drone regulations.

DISCLAIMER

This guide is not a substitute for legal advice. Information may have changed since publication. Seek your own professional counsel for any legal questions.

Contents

This guide will help you understand:

• Who needs a drone license?
• How to get your drone license.
• Aircraft registration requirements.
• Drone insurance.
• Basic operating rules.
• State and local operating rules in Minnesota.
• How to take the first step.

Who Needs A Drone License?

If you are flying for any purpose other than 100% recreation, you need a drone license. Federal law requires anyone operating a drone, except for purely hobby or recreational purposes, to hold an FAA Remote Pilot Certificate.

There are some exceptions for educational use. If you are using drones as part of a school program, we can help you determine which regulations apply to you.

How to Get Your Drone License

To be eligible for the FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, you must:

• Be at least 16 years old.
• Pass a TSA security check.
• Be able to read, speak, write, and understand English.
• Pass a 60-question, multiple choice FAA written exam with a score of 70% or higher.

That’s it!

The FAA exam is extensive, assessing your knowledge of:

• FAA regulations
• Aviation map reading and airspace
• Meteorology
• Aircraft loading and performance
• Drone operations

Within a day of passing your test, the FAA will email you a temporary certificate, and you are then ready to start using drones for work or business.

How to Prepare for Your FAA Exam

With training from Twin Cities Drone School, you will be ready for your exam in less than 15 hours, including two days of classroom instruction and 3 hours of studying on your own. We offer public classes, private group classes, and online training. These options will be covered in detail at the end of this guide.

Aircraft Registration

FEDERAL REGISTRATION

Your drone must be registered with the FAA at faa.gov/uas. The registration number must be affixed to your drone.

MINNESOTA REGISTRATION

Your drone must be registered through the MNDOT Office of Aeronautics. Your application may be completed online. It will require your FAA aircraft registration number and proof of insurance. You will also be responsible for paying Minnesota Sales or Use tax on your aircraft. Details can be found on the MNDOT Office of Aeronautics website.

Drone Insurance

To register your drone in the State of Minnesota, proof of liability insurance is required. Drone insurance is now available through several providers and can be found easily online.

BE CAREFUL WHEN PURCHASING DRONE INSURANCE

Some providers offer liability insurance that can be purchased per flight. This type of per-flight insurance is not acceptable for the purpose of registering your drone in Minnesota. To register with MnDOT Aeronautics, you must have an annual liability insurance policy.

MnDOT Commercial Operations License

Although all drones used by a business need to be registered, not all businesses using drones need a Commercial Operations License. The determination is made on a case-by-case basis by considering whether the flight outputs are provided to a third party. When photos, videos, and other data collected in flight are used only internally, a commercial operations license may not be required.

Basic Operating Rules

Once you have obtained your FAA Remote Pilot Certificate, registered with the FAA & MnDOT Aeronautics, and purchased liability insurance, you are ready to operate commercially. Here are some of the basic rules you will need to follow. This guide only presents a high-level overview; detailed regulations can be found in 14 CFR Part 107:

• Altitude limit: 400 feet.
• No flying beyond visual line of sight.
• Do not interfere with other aircraft operations.
• No flying over people.
• No flying in certain controlled airspace.
• Check for Temporary Flight Restrictions before flight.

Minnesota Drone Rules

In addition to federal laws, the following Minnesota restrictions apply:

• No flying in state or national parks (state forests are OK).
• No flying in the Boundary Waters Canoe area.

More local rules may apply in wildlife management areas, city parks, and other locally-governed areas. Although the FAA’s authority largely preempts local government authority to regulate airspace, and flight over public and private lands are generally allowed, cities may still enact nuisance and privacy laws that affect drone use.

Take Your First Step: Sign Up for Training

Twin Cities Drone School provides comprehensive training courses that delve more deeply into the local drone regulatory environment and fully prepare you to pass your FAA exam. Earning your license is as simple as taking the class and passing the test. You have several options for your training:

• Public In-Person Classes are offered every other month and are open to everyone.
• Private Group Training. We will provide training at your office, on your schedule, for groups of three or more (groups of 5 or more receive a 25% discount).
• Online Classes. Attend a live, interactive, online webinar.

All of these options deliver 12 hours of training, making you fully prepared for your FAA test. You can register for a drone training course online at https://twincitiesdroneschool.com.