Do I Have to Register My DJI Air 3 (All You Need to Know)

With all of the new drones being released in 2022 and 2023, it is oftentimes hard to keep track of them: 250g this, dual camera that, FPV, thermal, etc., etc.

The Air 3, while sporting the newest technology DJI has to offer, was not built to be the lightest of the new drones. At 720g, the Air 3 is 125g heavier than the Air 2S and 471g heavier than the Mini 3 Pro.

Seeing these differences, the question begs to be asked: Do you have to register the DJI Air 3?

Yes. If living in the United States, you are required to register your DJI Air 3. Even if using the Air 3 solely for recreational purposes, it must be registered, as it weighs over 250g.

We’ll discuss everything you might need to know about how to register your DJI Air 3.

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Why the Air 3 Must Be Registered

According to the FAA (Federal Aviation Authority/United States), all drones over 250g in the United States must be registered so as to ensure drone operators are flying their drones safely and responsibly.

Registering drones also encourages drone pilots to be accountable for their actions.

There is a misconception that if a drone isn’t required to be registered (like the Mini 3 Pro for instance), then it can be used for anything. This is incorrect.

If a Mini drone is to be used for commercial purposes, then it must be registered regardless.

As the Air 3 is not a Mini drone, weighing under 250g, it must be registered to use recreationally and commercially.

If you plan to use your Air 3 for commercial purposes, it needs to be registered under Part 107 rules, which we will touch on shortly.

If you only plan to use the Air 3 recreationally, then you can do so as a Recreational/Hobbyist User.

Penalties For Not Registering Drones

According to the FAA:

“Failure to register an unmanned aircraft that is required to be registered may result in regulatory and criminal penalties. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.“

While the fines and imprisonment do indeed seem to be very steep, the FAA is very much committed to enforcing the drone registration process in an attempt to help keep our airspace safe, regardless if drone owners like it or not.

It might help to think of drone registration like you would car registration. If you own a car and drive it publicly, all States require a registration.

In addition to this, vehicles have license plates in plain view on the rear of said vehicle. Boats and planes likewise have identifying numbers on them tied to registration.

Registered drones likewise receive a registration number that must be affixed to the aircraft where it can be easily identified.

This is far less expensive than registering a car, for instance, and keeps the drone community in compliance.

» MORE: The 3 Best Ways to Display Your Drone Registration Number

The FAA Will Soon Be Able to Track Registered Drones

With the enforcement of Remote ID, the FAA will be able to track registered drones, as the remote ID information would have been provided during the registration process.

Since Remote ID is the equivalent of an electronic drone license plate, the Remote ID unit broadcasts information about the drone, such as height, location, and speed to other nearby aircraft or handheld receivers.

Soon, this will enable law enforcement officers, and possibly others, to track and locate specific drones based on the broadcast information and see their flight activities.

» MORE: Drone Remote ID – 10 Things You Need to Know

What is Needed to Register your DJI Air 3

To register your Air 3, you will need the following:

- Be over 13 years of age

- Be a citizen of the United States

- Physical address and mailing address (if the mailing address is different from the physical address)

- Email address

- Phone number

- The make and model of your drone

- Remote ID serial number provided by the manufacturer (if applicable)

- Credit or debit card ($5 Registration Fee)

If you are planning to register your Air 3 as a recreational flyer, the cost is $5 and covers all of your recreational drones.

If registering as a Part 107 certificate holder (commercial pilot), then the cost of registration is $5 per drone being used commercially.

How to Register the DJI Air 3 (Part 107/Commercial)

Below are the various steps needed to register your DJI Air 3. If you would rather watch this process being done step by step, see the following video.

Although it is for registering a Mini 3/Pro, the process for registering the Air 3 is exactly the same.

Step 1: On either a PC or Mac, open an internet browser.

Step 2: In your web browser’s search bar, type in FAA Drone Zone and choose FAADroneZone Access – Home. This will bring you to the FAAs drone-related page.

Step 3: On the left side of the screen you will see Register Your Drone, click on Create Account.

Step 4: After being brought to the Create Account screen, enter all of your pertinent personal information, including a working email (as this will be used for login purposes) and a strong password for the account.

You will be sent a verification email to the email address used to create the Drone Zone account.

Step 5: Log in to the email account you used to open your DroneZone account, then open the email from UAS.FAADroneZone@faa.gov. Click on Verify Account. You will be brought back to the FAA Drone Zone site.

STEP 6: After verification is successful, click on Back to Login.

Step 7: Log in to the FAA Drone Zone site, using the verified account credentials you set up earlier. You’ll now be brought to the FAADroneZone Services page, where you can select various services.

Step 8: Press +Add a Service, then select the Drone Owners and Pilots Service button. Now press the Add Service button at the bottom of the screen.

You’ll be brought back to the main FAADroneZone Services screen, with the Drone Owners and Pilots service populating your Service box.

Step 9: Press the Launch Drone Owners and Pilots Dashboard button.

You’ll be brought to the Account Types area, where you can register your drone under either a Part 107 or Recreational Flyer account.

Step 10: If you will be registering your Air 3 under a Part 107 account, choose Set Up Part 107 account. You will be asked to fill in your Part 107 Profile.

After the Part 107 profile section is completely filled out, select Proceed to Dashboard at the bottom of the page.

Step 11: On the Dashboard, select Manage Device Inventory on the Inventory portion of the dashboard on the left-hand side of the screen.

You’ll see your Shopping Cart and Registered Inventory are both empty.

Step 12: Press Add Device on the upper right-hand side of the page. Here you will input all of the information for your Air 3. After this is entered, press Add Device.

You’ll then get a message that the device has been added to your shopping cart and you’ll be brought back to your shopping cart.

Step 13: At the Shopping Cart screen, press Checkout.

Step 14: On the next screen, Acknowledgement of FAA Requirements, check the small box at the bottom and hit Next.

This will send you through the steps to make your payment for the registration, which is $5 and is valid for three years.

How to Register the DJI Air 3 (Recreational/Hobbyist)

If you are planning on registering your Air 3 as a recreational or hobbyist user, follow the proceeding 10 steps and then proceed to Step 11 below, being sure to register as a hobbyist, and choose Set Up Recreational Flyer Account.

Step 11: Completely fill out the Recreational Flyers Profile and press Proceed to Checkout.

Step 12: On the next screen, Acknowledgement of FAA Requirements, check the small box at the bottom and hit Next.

Step 13: You’ll now be brought to an Inventory page. You’ll see your Inventory is empty. Press Add Device.

Step 14: Input all of the information for your Air 3. After this is entered, press Add Device.

You’ll receive an acknowledgment that a device has been added to your inventory.

Step 15: Press Next while on the Inventory Page.

This will send you through the steps to make your payment for the registration, which is $5 and is valid for three years.

Registration Card (Electronic & Hardcopy)

After you have registered your Air 3, you will receive an email with a PDF copy of your registration. You’ll want to save and print the registration.

After the registration has been printed, you need to have either an electronic or hard copy on you when flying. I have a directory on my phones and tablets that houses all my current registrations.

Additionally, you also need to have the registration number clearly visible on the drone as well.

Where it was previously okay to just write the registration number on a battery and hide it in the drone, regulations have changed.

As it stands now, like with a car’s license plate, the registration number must be on the outside of the drone.

I have found it useful to print off my drone’s registration numbers, using a label maker, and affix these to the arms or legs of the drone, or sometimes even underneath the drone if the drone is large enough.

How to Renew the Air 3 Registration

The renewal process is fairly easy. However, depending on how you originally registered your drone, either Recreationally or Part 107, there are various steps for each drone registration renewal type.

If flying as a Part 107 (Commercially)

Step 1: On a web browser, navigate to faadronezone.faa.gov and log in from the homepage dashboard.

Step 2: On the top-right of the screen, you will see your name.

Tap on your name and on the drop-down list select FAADroneZone Services

Step 3: In the FAADroneZone Services screen, under Drone Owners and Pilots, press the LAUNCH DRONE OWNERS AND PILOTS DASHBOARD button.

Step 4: In the blue, Part 107 Inventory box, click MANAGE DEVICE INVENTORY.

You’ll be presented with a list of your Active, Cancelled, or Expired drones.

Step 5: Press the 3 gray dots to the very far right of the drone eligible for renewal. If it is eligible, there will be an option to renew the drone.

Press RENEW and the drone will be brought to your shopping cart where the $5 fee can be paid.

» MORE: Renewal of Your Part 107 Certificate

If flying Recreationally (as a Hobbyist)

Step 1: On a web browser, navigate to faadronezone.faa.gov and log in from the homepage dashboard.

Step 2: On the top-right of the screen, you will see your name.

Tap on your name, on the drop-down select FAADroneZone Services

Step 3: In the FAADroneZone Services screen, under Drone Owners and Pilots, press the LAUNCH DRONE OWNERS AND PILOTS DASHBOARD button.

Step 4: If you are Part 107 and Recreational, choose the Recreational Flyer tab at the top of the screen.

If you only have recreational accounts, you will be brought into the Recreational Flyer dashboard.

Step 5: In the Recreational Flyer Dashboard you will see your Device Inventory count. Under that section, you will see RENEW if it is time to do so.

Press RENEW and follow the steps to pay for the renewal.

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