Special Report: Tips for buying drones

Drones are exploding in popularity and an expected surge in sales is raising serious safety concerns.

One can sell for as little as $100, making them a hot-ticket item this holiday season.

And while many of the boxes contain rules about flying, the sheer number of them has pilots and government officials worried.

A newly formed task force is meeting this week to come up with recommendations for a registration process, expected to be in place by Christmas.

That means drone owners will also have to file paperwork making them accountable for their flying habits.

A move local company SkyPhilly applauds.

"I think it's a good idea," said Paul Caskey, the company's VP of technology. "It's one way, one small way to try and keep track of the drones, and try and reel in people from being completely reckless and irresponsible."

Commercial users are bound to a strict set of flying regulations, but Paul Caskey says those rules are good for everyone to know.

The idea is that if something happens, the registry will help hold people accountable.

"In theory they'll be able to look at a serial number and tie that back to the owner," said Caskey.

If you are planning to buy a drone it's good to keep a couple things in mind.

For starters, look for ones that have GPS.

If your hands come off the controls, this mode will keep the drone in the same position.

Another good feature is "return to home".

If the drone loses connection to the controller it will automatically return to a spot you designated beforehand.

"I would start small, don't spend a lot of money," Caskey suggests. "I would say take it slow and work your way into it."

The government's task force is expected to deliver its recommendations for the registry by Nov. 20.

For information on the FAA's current guidelines visit https://www.faa.gov/uas/. For information on the task force visit https://www.faa.gov/news/updates/?newsId=84125.