Reference Source

Aircraft registration

For Aircraft registration, weight limit is 0.55 pounds or less; what crossing it means is A drone flown exclusively under the recreational exception in 49 U.S.C. 44809 and weighing 0.55 pounds or less on takeoff does not have to be registered; otherwise the owner must have registered and marked it before anyone may operate it; citation is 14 CFR 48.15(b), recorded from its source on 2026-08-26.

Threshold
Aircraft registration our reading
Weight limit
0.55 pounds or less verified
What crossing it means
A drone flown exclusively under the recreational exception in 49 U.S.C. 44809 and weighing 0.55 pounds or less on takeoff does not have to be registered; otherwise the owner must have registered and marked it before anyone may operate it. our reading
Citation
14 CFR 48.15(b) our reading
Sourceecfr.gov
Verified
Review by
DatasetFAA drone weight thresholds that trigger a different rule set

Values marked our reading are our classification of what the source says — the source does not print them in those words. The quote below is the evidence for each one; judge it yourself.

What the source says

§ 48.15 Requirement to register. No person may operate a small unmanned aircraft that is eligible for registration under <https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/49/44101> 49 U.S.C. 44101-44103 unless one of the following criteria has been satisfied: (a) The owner has registered and marked the aircraft in accordance with this part; (b) The aircraft is operated exclusively in compliance with <https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/49/44809> 49 U.S.C. 44809 and weighs 0.55 pounds or less on takeoff, including everything that is on board or otherwise attached to the aircraft; or (c) The aircraft is an aircraft of the Armed Forces of the United States.

ecfr.gov, retrieved 2026-08-26

Source

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