New drone owners urged to learn the rules of the air

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - The Illinois Department of Transportation wants people who found brand new drones under the tree on Christmas morning to know that their new toys come with state and federal regulations that have to be followed.

The (Peoria) Journal Star reports that the transportation department started reaching out the day after Christmas to potential pilots through its social media channels to get the word out about some of the things they can and can't do, starting with how close they can fly to airports.

New drone owners are urged to visit the transportation department's website: www.idot.illinois.gov. There's information in the site's transportation safety section as well as links to additional resources. And the department suggests learning about safety guidelines put by the Academy of Model Aeronautics and other organizations.