Pilots & aircraft

Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), also known as drones, encompass the family of remote-operated aircraft and rotorcraft weighing less than 55 pounds. The guidance on this page provides basic rules and links to regulatory information required to safely operate your drone in Washington state.

There are three steps to register your aircraft with the Federal government and the State of Washington.

Learn about Senate Bill 5414, which eliminates pilot and mechanic registration in Washington state. 

Programs and information that may benefit pilots in Washington state.

All aircraft in Washington state must register with WSDOT Aviation and is required by Washington State law.

Becoming a Search and Rescue volunteer requires a large time commitment and months of training. However, there is always a need for highly dedicated people to become aircrew members, base support personnel, communication unit operators, and incident management team members.