# Aircraft registration — FAA drone weight thresholds that trigger a different rule set

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, not quoted from the source)_
- **Weight limit:** 0.55 pounds or less _(verified: appears in the quote below)_
- **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, not quoted from the source)_
- **Citation:** 14 CFR 48.15(b) _(our reading, not quoted from the source)_

## 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.

## Source

- https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-14/chapter-I/subchapter-F/part-48

Last verified: 2026-08-26. Review by: 2027-08-26.
Part of [FAA drone weight thresholds that trigger a different rule set](https://referencesource.org/faa-drone-weight-thresholds/).