Drone Register with FAA: Arizona Nevada Guide | EAP

A Las Vegas commercial contractor called us in January 2025 needing aerial progress documentation on a 47-acre mixed-use development near Henderson. Their schedule required weekly flights through July, but their internal team had just learned their drone wasn't registered and their operator lacked Part 107 certification. We completed registration that afternoon, deployed our M300 RTK with a Zenmuse P1 the next morning, and delivered the first set of georeferenced orthomosaics within 72 hours. The client stayed on schedule, avoided a two-week delay, and locked in weekly coverage through project completion.

What Drone Register with FAA Actually Requires

Every commercial drone operation in the United States must comply with federal registration before the first flight. The FAA drone registration process applies to any unmanned aircraft weighing between 0.55 pounds and 55 pounds operated for business purposes. We register every aircraft in our fleet before it touches a jobsite, whether we're flying construction documentation in Phoenix or capturing cinematic aerials for a Las Vegas production company.

Registration costs $5 per aircraft and remains valid for three years. You complete the process online through the FAA's DroneZone portal in about 10 minutes if you have your aircraft serial numbers and payment ready. The system generates a unique registration number immediately after payment, and you must mark that number on the exterior of each registered drone before flight. We use a label maker and clear tape on battery compartments to avoid interfering with camera mounts or gimbal movement.

Commercial operators need Part 107 certification before they can legally fly for hire. We earned our certifications in 2014 and renew every two years through online recurrent training. The Part 107 regulations require pilots to pass an aeronautical knowledge test covering airspace classification, weather, loading, emergency procedures, and crew resource management. Every member of our team holds current certification and carries physical copies during field operations.

Project Snapshot: Henderson Mixed-Use Development

Location: Henderson, Nevada Industry: Commercial construction Deliverables: Weekly orthomosaics, 2cm GSD contours, volumetric analysis Aircraft: DJI M300 RTK with Zenmuse P1 Turnaround: 72 hours per flight Constraints: Active construction zones, adjacent controlled airspace (KLAS Class B 8nm northeast), weekly coordination with site superintendent Airspace: LAANC authorization required, altitude ceiling 200 feet AGL

The contractor needed to track earthwork progress, verify cut/fill volumes against engineered plans, and document phasing for investor updates. We registered the M300 RTK before deployment, filed LAANC requests 24 hours before each flight window, and coordinated morning flights to avoid concrete pours and crane operations. The P1's 45-megapixel full-frame sensor captured 892 images per flight at 200 feet AGL, producing orthomosaics with 1.2cm ground sample distance and contours accurate to ±3cm vertical.

Between January and July 2025, we completed 28 flights covering 47 acres. The client used our deliverables to identify a 4,200-cubic-yard discrepancy in cut volumes during Phase 2, adjusted grading plans before concrete work started, and saved an estimated $63,000 in rework costs. Our registration compliance, airspace coordination, and consistent turnaround kept their schedule intact through seven months of active construction.

How to Register Your Drone for Commercial Operations

You need three things before you start the drone register with FAA process: a valid email address, a physical US mailing address, and your drone's make, model, and serial number. The FAA requires US citizenship or permanent residency for commercial registration. If you operate as a business entity, that company must be registered in the United States with a domestic mailing address.

1. Create an account in the FAA DroneZone portal using your email and a secure password that meets federal authentication standards.

2. Select "Register a Drone" and choose the commercial option if you plan to fly for compensation or business purposes. Recreational registration follows different rules outlined on the FAA recreational flyers page.

3. Enter your aircraft details including manufacturer name, model designation, and serial number. You can register multiple drones under one account, but each requires a separate $5 fee.

4. Review and accept the terms confirming you understand federal aviation regulations and operational limitations.

5. Submit payment using a credit card or ACH transfer. The system processes payment immediately and generates your registration number within seconds.

6. Print your registration certificate or save the PDF to a secure location. You must present this certificate upon request by FAA inspectors or law enforcement.

7. Mark your registration number on the exterior of each drone in a visible location using permanent marking or a secure label that won't detach during flight operations.

We maintain a spreadsheet tracking registration numbers, expiration dates, and aircraft assignments. Our M300 RTK fleet, Inspire 2 platforms, and FPV rigs each carry current registration, and we set calendar reminders 60 days before expiration to avoid lapses. A single day of unregistered operation can result in civil penalties up to $27,500 or criminal fines up to $250,000 depending on violation severity.

Remote ID Requirements After September 2023

The Remote ID rule became mandatory for all commercial drone operations on September 16, 2023. Every drone we fly broadcasts real-time location, altitude, velocity, and registration information to nearby receivers and FAA monitoring systems. This requirement applies whether you're capturing aerial footage for real estate in Scottsdale or mapping utility corridors in rural Nevada.

We use DJI aircraft manufactured after 2023 that include built-in Remote ID broadcast modules. Older platforms in our fleet carry aftermarket Remote ID modules that attach to the airframe and connect to flight controllers. The FAA allows three compliance methods: standard Remote ID (built into the drone), broadcast modules (external devices), and operations within FAA-Recognized Identification Areas (currently limited and not practical for commercial work).

Remote ID broadcasts include your registration number, so anyone within radio range can verify your drone is properly registered and authorized to fly. We treat this as an additional accountability layer rather than a burden. Our 2025 operations logged 847 flight hours across Arizona and Nevada with zero Remote ID compliance issues, and clients appreciate the transparency when we explain how the system works during pre-flight briefings.

Field Note: Registration Before Equipment Purchases

We register every new aircraft within 24 hours of delivery, before test flights or client deployments. Mark runs our equipment acquisitions, and he learned this lesson in 2016 when a last-minute production request came in for a DJI Inspire 1 we'd just unboxed. The registration process took 15 minutes, but we hadn't anticipated it and nearly missed the crew call time. Now we complete registration during initial setup and configuration, test Remote ID broadcasts, and add the aircraft to our insurance policy before it leaves the shop. That workflow eliminated registration delays on 34 aircraft purchases between 2020 and 2025, including our newest M350 RTK and Mavic 3 Enterprise platforms. It takes one missed flight window to understand why registration comes first.

When Registration Connects to Airspace Authorization

Registration alone doesn't grant flight clearance. You also need airspace authorization before operating in controlled airspace near airports, military installations, or special use areas. We handle this through LAANC (Low Altitude Authorization and Notification Capability) for most projects in Phoenix and Las Vegas, where controlled airspace extends across major metro areas. The FAA requires current registration as proof of aircraft eligibility before approving any LAANC request.

Our Henderson project fell 8 nautical miles from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport's Class B airspace. Every weekly flight required LAANC authorization capping our altitude at 200 feet AGL. We submitted requests through Aloft, referenced our M300 RTK registration number, included flight coordinates and mission duration, and received automated approval within seconds for most flights. Two requests required manual review when we needed altitude waivers for capturing roof-level progress on a five-story structure, and those approvals took 90 minutes.

Between 2023 and 2025, we filed 1,247 LAANC requests across Arizona and Nevada. Authorization rates hit 99.2%, with rejections tied to temporary flight restrictions during presidential visits or wildfire suppression operations. Registration status appeared in every request, and we've never had an authorization denied due to registration issues. The FAA's online system cross-references registration databases automatically, flagging expired or invalid numbers before submissions process.

Registration Compliance During Multi-State Operations

We operate under Arizona and Nevada regulations but register all aircraft through the federal FAA system. State laws don't change registration requirements, but they do add operational restrictions you must follow even with valid federal registration. Nevada requires advance notice to local law enforcement for flights over critical infrastructure, while Arizona prohibits operations within certain distances of correctional facilities regardless of FAA clearance.

Our Las Vegas operations follow identical registration procedures as Phoenix work, but we adjust mission planning for state-specific rules. We notify county sheriffs when mapping solar installations near Boulder City, coordinate with tribal authorities before flying near reservation boundaries, and brief clients on state restrictions during project planning. Registration remains federal, but compliance requires understanding local context.

We've registered 47 aircraft since 2014, including retired platforms no longer in service. The FAA doesn't require deregistration when you sell or retire an aircraft, but we cancel registrations to maintain clean records and avoid confusion during audits. Our current active fleet includes 12 registered drones ranging from Mavic 3 Enterprise units for inspections to M300 RTK platforms for large-area mapping and Inspire 2 rigs for cinematic commercial work.

What Happens Without Proper Registration

The FAA treats unregistered commercial drone operations as serious violations subject to civil and criminal penalties. We've seen competitors grounded mid-project after clients discovered registration lapses, leading to schedule delays and contract terminations. One Las Vegas production company lost a $180,000 contract in 2024 when their insurance carrier learned their primary aircraft wasn't registered, voiding coverage and exposing the client to liability.

Civil penalties start at $1,100 per violation and scale based on severity and history. The FAA issued 374 enforcement actions against commercial drone operators in 2025, with 62% involving registration violations according to agency records. Criminal penalties apply when operators knowingly violate registration rules or provide false information during the application process. We've maintained zero violations across 12 years of commercial operations by treating registration as non-negotiable infrastructure rather than optional paperwork.

Clients ask for registration proof before signing contracts. We provide copies of current certificates, Remote ID compliance documentation, and Part 107 certifications during proposal reviews. Engineering firms and construction managers now require this documentation as standard practice, and we've built verification into our quote process to eliminate delays when contracts move to execution.

Registration Tracking and Renewal Systems

We track registration expiration dates in the same project management system we use for client deliverables and equipment maintenance. Each aircraft has a dedicated record showing registration number, issue date, expiration date, and assigned pilot. Calendar alerts trigger 60 days before expiration, giving us time to complete renewals without operational disruptions.

The renewal process mirrors initial registration but takes less time since account information remains current. You log into DroneZone, select the aircraft requiring renewal, verify details, and submit the $5 fee. The FAA processes renewals immediately and extends registration for another three years from the original expiration date. We completed 19 renewals in 2025 without missing a single expiration, maintaining continuous compliance across our fleet.

We also maintain physical copies of registration certificates in each aircraft case alongside insurance certificates and pilot certifications. FAA inspectors can request documentation during field checks, and we've been inspected four times since 2020. Every inspection resulted in zero findings because we carry complete documentation and train pilots to present certificates professionally when requested. That preparation has saved projects from delays and protected client relationships during regulatory encounters.

How Registration Supports Insurance and Contracts

Every commercial insurance policy we've carried since 2014 required proof of current FAA registration before binding coverage. Our $5 million liability policy through Global Aerospace verifies registration annually and flags aircraft additions requiring updated declarations. We lost coverage on a Phantom 4 Pro in 2019 when registration lapsed during a policy audit, and we grounded that aircraft until renewal cleared.

Clients write registration compliance into contracts for construction documentation, surveying projects, and commercial productions. Our Henderson development contract included language requiring current FAA registration, Part 107 certification, and Remote ID compliance as conditions precedent to each flight. We submitted documentation before the kickoff meeting, and the client's legal team verified compliance through FAA online databases. That verification process has become standard across 83% of our 2025 projects.

We've also used registration records to resolve liability questions after near-miss incidents. A recreational drone operator flew into our surveying area near Tempe in March 2025, coming within 200 feet of our M300 RTK during a mapping flight. Our registration documentation, flight logs, and LAANC authorization proved we operated legally and held position while the unregistered drone departed. The FAA investigated and cited the recreational operator for multiple violations including failure to register. Our documentation protected us from liability and supported enforcement actions against the violator.

Registration Data and FAA Compliance Tracking

The FAA maintains a searchable database of registered aircraft accessible through public records requests. We've verified competitor registrations when subcontracting work and checked client-owned drones before providing pilot services. The database includes registration numbers, owner names, and expiration dates but doesn't reveal specific aircraft serial numbers or operational details.

According to FAA data, 874,000 commercial drones were registered in the United States as of December 2025, up 14% from 766,000 in December 2024. Nevada accounts for 23,100 commercial registrations while Arizona holds 31,400, reflecting growth in construction, solar installation inspection, and real estate photography across both states. We represent 12 of Arizona's commercial registrations and maintain relationships with operators holding another 200+ registrations across Phoenix and Tucson markets.

The FAA tracks registration compliance during accident investigations, enforcement actions, and routine inspections. Our safety management system logs every flight with registration numbers, pilot names, and maintenance records. That documentation creates audit trails protecting us during investigations and proving compliance when questions arise. We've provided flight records to support three FAA investigations since 2020, and complete registration documentation helped close those cases without findings against our operations.

When you drone register with FAA, you establish the legal foundation for every commercial flight you'll operate across Arizona and Nevada. Registration connects to airspace authorization, insurance coverage, client contracts, and regulatory compliance in ways that directly affect project timelines and business continuity. We've built registration compliance into every operational workflow since 2014, and that discipline has protected 12 years of commercial operations across thousands of flights. Whether you need mapping services, commercial aerials, or inspection coverage, we arrive with current registrations, complete documentation, and proven systems that keep your project moving. Request a quote or schedule a scout call, and we'll lock the plan, the gear, and the dates with Extreme Aerial Productions.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to drone register with FAA for commercial operations? The online registration process takes 10 to 15 minutes once you have your aircraft details and payment method ready. The FAA issues your registration number immediately after payment processing. You must then mark that number on your drone before flying, which adds another 5 minutes using a label maker or permanent marker.

Can I register multiple drones under one FAA account? Yes, you can register unlimited aircraft under a single DroneZone account. Each drone requires a separate $5 registration fee, but you manage all registrations from one dashboard. We track 12 active aircraft registrations through our account and add new platforms as we expand our fleet.

Do I need to register my drone again when moving from Arizona to Nevada? No, FAA registration follows the aircraft regardless of where you operate within the United States. Your registration remains valid across all states and territories. State-level regulations may differ, but federal registration requirements stay consistent whether you fly in Phoenix, Las Vegas, or anywhere else.

What happens if my drone registration expires during an active project? Flying with expired registration violates federal law and can result in civil penalties starting at $1,100 per violation. Your insurance coverage may be voided, and clients can terminate contracts for non-compliance. Renew at least 30 days before expiration to avoid operational disruptions and maintain continuous coverage.

Does drone register with FAA replace the need for Part 107 certification? No, registration and pilot certification are separate requirements. Registration applies to the aircraft itself, while Part 107 certification authorizes you as a pilot to conduct commercial operations. You need both before flying any drone for business purposes in the United States.