Searching for a lost pet with a drone in the United States
Looking for your own pet for fun can be recreational flying, but helping others may not be: the FAA says goodwill, such as volunteering your drone for a non-profit, can make a flight non-recreational, under Part 107. When in doubt, the FAA says to assume Part 107.
| Aviation authority | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) |
|---|---|
| Registration | Register drones of 250 g (0.55 lb) or more: $5 for 3 years, covering all your recreational drones. Owner aged 13 or over. Mark the number on the drone. Register. |
| Test or certificate | TRUST, the free online Recreational UAS Safety Test, for every recreational flyer, at any weight. Non-recreational flights need the Part 107 certificate. |
| Maximum height | 400 ft (122 m) in uncontrolled airspace; in controlled airspace, only up to the altitude the FAA authorises. |
| Line of sight | Within visual line of sight, yours or that of an observer standing next to you. |
| Night flights | Allowed for recreational flyers following a community-based organisation's safety guidelines, with the required lights. |
| Remote ID | Every drone that must be registered broadcasts Remote ID (built in or with a module) since 16 September 2023, except inside FAA-recognised identification areas (FRIA). |
| No-fly zones | B4UFLY apps (Aloft, Airspace Link and others) |
| Controlled airspace | Controlled airspace (Class B, C, D and surface E) needs FAA authorisation through LAANC, often in minutes, or through FAADroneZone. |
What matters for a search in the United States
- National parks: taking off or landing a drone is banned in most National Park Service units without written approval from the superintendent.
- Check Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) before each flight and give way to every other aircraft.
- Since 22 December 2025 the FCC no longer authorises new foreign-made drone models; drones already authorised can still be sold and flown.
Before every search flight
- Check the no-fly zones for the exact area in B4UFLY apps (Aloft, Airspace Link and others).
- Ask the landowner if you take off from private land.
- Keep the drone in sight and below the height limit, away from people, roads and buildings.
- Let the owner of the animal know you are flying, and where.
Official sources
- www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers
- www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/register_drone
- www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_fliers/knowledge_test_updates
- www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/remote_id
- www.faa.gov/uas/recreational_flyers/authorization
- www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/b4ufly
- www.nps.gov/subjects/sound/uas.htm
A summary to help you prepare a search, not legal advice. The official sources have the final word.
Reviewed on October 22, 2026.
Share this page
WhatsApp · Facebook · X · Telegram · Reddit · Email ·
Ask an AI about it: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity · Google AI Mode