Drones have become one of the hottest new technologies, part toy, part tool—they were one of the hottest holiday gifts this year, and garnered plenty of coverage at CES. Their growing numbers, not to mention more than a few near-misses with commercial aircraft and even firefighters, prompted the Federal Aviation Administration to declare last month that consumer UAVs must be registered. Owners have until February 19 to get with the program. Will government regulation of drones hurt their popularity? Will a $5 fee take some of the UAVs magic away? (Pro tip: Register before January 21 and it's free!) Those are valid questions. But first, let's talk about just who needs to register, and how.

The New Rules

If your drone weighs less than 0.55 pounds, you don't need to register it. (You can find a list of drones that do and don't require registration here.) There are a few more specifics, though, worth noting: