> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://stem-docs.intellectualpoint.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Safety and the rules of the sky > Fly responsibly - the safety habits, flying-space rules, and drone laws every pilot needs to know. ## A great pilot is a safe pilot Drones are a ton of fun, but they have spinning blades and share the sky with real aircraft. Every professional pilot follows the same habit: **safety before every flight**. Build these habits now and they'll stay with you. ## Respect the propellers Before anything else: the spinning propellers are the part most likely to hurt someone. Treat the space around each one as a **danger zone** whenever the drone is powered on. Top-down drone diagram with red danger-zone rings around each spinning propeller and a keep-clear symbol ## Pre-flight safety check Run through this every single time before you power up the motors. Pre-flight checklist infographic: inspect the drone, check batteries, clear the area, check surroundings Check that all propellers, prop guards, screws, and the battery are firmly in place and undamaged. Confirm the drone battery is charged and the controller's AAA batteries have power. Make sure no people, pets, or fragile objects are in the flying space. Fly over a textured, well-lit floor so the optical-flow sensor works, with room above and around the drone. ## Where and how to fly Your Echo is built for **calm indoor spaces**. Here's a quick picture of where it's safe to fly - and where it isn't. Split diagram of safe indoor flying versus unsafe places like over people, near power lines, water, trees, wind, and airports This little drone is built for calm indoor spaces. Keep well away from people and animals. Never let the drone fly out of sight or behind an obstacle. Keep fingers, hair, and loose clothing clear whenever the motors can spin. A drone can fail and fall at any moment - never fly above someone's head. Do **not** fly near cell towers, power lines, trees, or water; near airports, railways, or roads; above people or animals; in crowded areas; or in wind or bad weather. Your Echo Drone is happiest in a calm indoor room. ## Drone laws and airspace Real drones share the sky with airplanes and helicopters, so most countries have rules. In the United States, the **FAA** (Federal Aviation Administration) sets them. Airspace diagram showing line of sight, 400 foot altitude ceiling, airport no-fly zone, and drone registration over 250 grams Drones over 250 grams must be registered with the FAA. Your Echo Drone weighs only **85 grams**, so it does **not** need registration - one reason it's great for classrooms. Pilots must keep the drone within visual line of sight at all times - no flying blind. Recreational drones must stay below 400 feet and away from airports and restricted airspace, so they never endanger crewed aircraft. Don't record people without permission or fly over private property uninvited. Being a good pilot means respecting others. Even though your drone is exempt from registration, learning these rules matters. If you ever fly a bigger camera drone outdoors, you'll be legally responsible for following them. Anyone flying larger drones commercially in the US takes the FAA **Part 107** test to earn a Remote Pilot Certificate. If drones become your passion, that's your first real credential. ## Would you fly here? Test your judgment with your group - safe, or not? A gym with a high ceiling and no one else inside. **Safe or not?** Your backyard on a breezy afternoon, near the neighbor's pool. **Safe or not?** A carpeted living room with the family dog watching. **Safe or not?** A park two miles from a small airport, drone kept below the treetops. **Safe or not?** You can run a four-step pre-flight check, state where it's safe to fly, and explain why your drone doesn't need FAA registration.