Resources

There's great information online about drone laws, regulations, and best practices; we've collected this list of resources to help distinguish the trustworthy sources from ones that may be less reliable.  

General information

• Virginia Tech Mid-Atlantic Aviation Partnership for all things UAS at Virginia Tech
• Federal Aviation Administration UAS Portal  for all things UAS in the United States. 
• Know Before You Fly is a campaign that provides prospective users with the information and guidance they need to fly safely and responsibly. Their U.S. Airspace Map shows an easy-to-read overview of locations where drone flights are restricted, like around airports, heliports, and national parks. 
• Academy of Model Aeronautics (AMA) is the world’s largest, non-profit model aviation association that promotes model aviation as sport and recreation.
• Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) is the world's largest non-profit organization devoted to advancing the unmanned systems and robotic community.
• Incident reporting:  A UAS reportable incident is defined as any event or occurrence during aircraft operations that results in an aircraft failure, or any injury to persons or damage to property.  The UAS Incident Report form is used to provide follow up information after a Virginia Tech UAS incident or accident.  It is important to notify the UAS Safety Office (uassafety@vt.edu or (540) 231-7484) of any reportable incident as expeditiously as possible to determine if further actions are necessary.
  

Federal regulations for unmanned aircraft

• 14 CFR Part 107: Regulation pertaining to Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
• 14 CFR Part 101: Special Rule for Model Aircraft 
  
• Special Authority for Certain Unmanned Aircraft Systems 
• U.S. Drone Registration Site for registering your drone; also has useful information for hobbyists and instructions for reporting drone accidents and incidents. 

Flight planning

• FAA Special Use Airspace (SUA) Tool will help you navigate specially designated airspace in your flight area. 
• FAA Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFR) Tool will help you find and navigate temporary flight restrictions (disaster areas, sporting events, special government programs, etc.) where flight is prohibited without authorization. 
• FAA Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring (RAIM) site for GPS constellation status, coverage, and outages. 
• Two sites to check for Notices to Airmen (NOTAMs):
  • FAA PilotWeb NOTAM Retrieval
  • DINS – Defense Internet NOTAM Service; this Department of Defense site is more comprehensive and informative.  
• Flight Service allows you to file a DROTAM (Drone Notice to Airmen) for free, once you're registered with the site. It's also a one-stop-shop for all things flight planning. 
• SkyVector is a free aeronautical chart and flight planning tool; they post DROTAMs, as well.  
• Drone Battery Care Guide has information on how to care for and protect various types of batteries used on unmanned and remotely controlled systems. 
• WeatherSTEM for real-time weather conditions at Virginia Tech:
  • Lane Stadium
  • Drone Park
  • Kentland Farm

Certification

• Integrated Airman Certification and Rating Application (IACRA), to apply for and maintain airmen certificates, including the Remote Pilot Certificate.
• FAA Remote Pilot Certificate test prep from lynda.com (Virginia Tech login credentials required). 
• Am I fit to fly? 
  • UAV/UAS Drone Pilot Fitness Standards  
  • Medical Standards for Pilots 
  • AOPA Medical Self-Assessment