Down with the toy drones

If you wrap a remote-controlled airplane or helicopter for the holidays, you may want to include one more item with your gift: a current guide on air traffic safety.

The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is set to propose new regulations for users who control small unmanned aircrafts or drones weighing less than 55 pounds.

The new rules would likely require hobbyists to join community-based model aircraft organizations or follow the agency's official rules, holding recreational fliers to the same standard as commercial operators.

Experts predict the new restrictions could apply to hundreds of thousands of people, who fly quadcopters or toy planes in public places outdoors, like parks or backyards. This would limit the number of people who fly drones carelessly or recklessly, they added.

The policy would be the FAA's first major overhaul and is expected to take effect after at least a year.

Amazon has already linked its online "drone store" to websites offering safety information, urging its customers to "fly responsibly."

el/uhe (Reuters)