so i just got a mini 2 for christmas and i have no idea what the rules are. my backyard is pretty big like maybe half an acre and theres no airport nearby that i know of. my neighbor said i dont need to register it if its under 250g but my mini 2 is like 249g so im confused if that even counts. do i actually need to do anything before i fly or can i just go out and start flying tomorrow? i live in ohio if that matters

okay so the 250g thing is real ? if your drone weighs under 250 grams you're exempt from FAA registration for recreational flying. the mini 2 is 249g so technically you're good there. but theres still stuff you gotta do even without registering, like you still have to follow the recreational flyer rules which means flying below 400 feet, not flying over people, keeping it in visual line of sight, that kind of stuff. also you should probably download the B4UFLY app or check the FAA drone zone website just to make sure you're not in any controlled airspace even if you think youre not near an airport. sometimes the airspace extends way further than you'd expect around smaller regional airports too

ohio also doesnt have any crazy state-specific drone laws that i know of, some states do so its worth checking but youre probably fine. just stay out of state parks if you plan to go further than the backyard, a lot of them have banned drones entirely and the rules vary park to park which is super annoying