Hawaii Drone Laws

Hawaii State Drone Laws

These laws are applicable on all the cities, towns, and counties within the state of Hawaii. They fall under the jurisdiction of Hawaii Department of Transport and Hawaii State Legislature. Presently, there is only one state drone law in Hawaii.

SB 661 // 2015

The following points are included in this law (1):

According to this law, Hawaii UAS test site must have a Chief Operating Officer.
An advisory board must be established for supervising the UAS test site in Hawaii.
Proper funds should be allocated for the maintenance and development of the UAS test site.

Hawaii Local Drone Laws

These laws are only applicable in certain areas, cities, counties, towns, etc. Presently, there is only one local drone law in Hawaii.

of Land and Natural Resources//Division of State Parks

According to the Department of Land and Natural Resources (DLNR), operating an unmanned aircraft system within the state parks of Hawaii is strictly prohibited (2).

Federal Drone Laws

The Federal Government and Federal Aviation Administration of the US has implemented a set of drone laws which have to be obeyed by the entire country. These laws are known as the federal drone laws. They have been further classified into three main sub groups. These groups define the laws which are implemented based on the cause of the drone operations.

For commercial operations of an unmanned aerial vehicle:

There are three major rules for people who wish to operate unmanned aircraft systems for commercial purposes:

The first law makes it mandatory for all commercial drone operators to learn the Part 107 rules enforced by the Federal Aviation Administration. These rules provide them with guidance regarding how they can safely conduct operations of their unmanned aircraft systems in the US.
The second compulsion on commercial drone operators is to ensure they have a remote pilot certification. The federal aviation administration conducts a knowledge test to make sure that the people obtaining the certification have full understanding about conducting a drone operation safely. They cover topics like drone maintenance, laws applicable on drone operations, emergency situations, radio communication etc.
It is obligatory for drone operators to get their unmanned aircraft systems registered with the Federal Aviation Administration. The cost of this registration is around $5. His registration becomes invalid after 3 years and has to be renewed. It is better for drone operators to display the registration number on the unmanned aircraft system as this helps them to identify it in case it gets stolen or lost.

For Government operators:

The government employees who are required to operate an unmanned aircraft system in the US are provided with two choices i.e. they can either obtain a Federal Certificate of Authorization (COA) which is issued by the Federal Aviation Administration, or they can follow FAA’s Part 107 rules. Following are a few of FAA’s Part 107 rules:

An Aeronautical Knowledge Test which is conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration has to be passed by the drone operators in order to obtain a remote pilot certification.
The altitude of the unmanned aircraft system must be kept below 400 feet.
It is compulsory for drone operators to restrict the operations of their unmanned aircraft systems within class G airspace.
Operating an unmanned aircraft system at night is strictly prohibited to avoid the risk of accidents.
It is mandatory to obtain authorization for operating unmanned aircraft systems during nighttime. The UAS should have a proper light system as well.
It is essential to get your unmanned aircraft system registered with the Federal Aviation Administration.

For flying a drone as a recreational hobby:

Federal Aviation Administration’s “Recreational Model Aircraft” laws have to be followed by people who wish to operate their drones for recreational purposes. The “Reauthorization Act” of the federal aviation administration is also useful for drone hobbyists as it provides a list of essential instructions which must be followed. Some of the recreational drone rules are as follows:

It is necessary to get your unmanned aircraft system registered with the Federal Aviation Administration if it is heavier than 0.55 lbs.
Operating an unmanned aircraft system directly above a person without their permission is strictly prohibited.
Drone operations are only allowed in certain airspaces, like Class G airspace. Drone operations cannot be conducted in any other airspace without obtaining authorization beforehand.
The altitude of the unmanned aircraft system must not exceed 400 feet.
It is mandatory for drone operators to maintain visual on their drone while it is airborne.

Drone Regulation Compliance Tips

The following drone regulations are obeyed all over the world:

Operate under the speed of 100 mph

In order to ensure the security and safety of the public, flying an unmanned aircraft system at a very high speed is prohibited. Generally the speed limit of 100 mph is accepted by the civil aviation authorities of most countries and drone operators should fly their drones under this speed limit. (4)

Never operate an unmanned aircraft system while high or drunk

Operating an unmanned aircraft system under the influence of any intoxicating substance like alcohol, drugs, medications etc. is strictly prohibited in almost all the countries because the risk of accidents increases a lot.

Never operate an unmanned aircraft system directly above a sports event

It is prohibited to fly a drone directly over any stadium or any sports related event.

Do not operate an unmanned aircraft system near places where emergency operations are underway

It is prohibited to operate unmanned aircraft systems near places where the safety of the public is at risk, and also in places where emergency operations such as police and firefighter operations, bushfires, and search and rescue operations, are being conducted.

Never operate an unmanned aircraft system near an airport or manned aero planes

Drone operators are strictly warned against operating an unmanned aircraft system near a manned aero plane, or any functional airports. This is because drones can block the visual of the pilots of airplanes, which can result in loss of control and catastrophic accidents.