RALEIGH â More North Carolina residents and visitors are expected to use their personal drones this summer than ever. More than 30,000 North Carolinians now own and operate drones for personal and recreational use. As the number of drone operators grows, the N.C. Department of Transportation is reminding drone pilots to follow safety precautions because drones can be dangerous to others if they are not operated properly. âDrones are an amazing new technology, and the applications are almost limitless,â said NCDOT Director of Aviation Bobby Walston in a statement. âBut something so new comes with a lot of challenges. We need to make sure people donât treat these as just a toy, and know how to operate them in a safe manner.â