How can the selfie drone ROAM-e be safe?, page-102

"For instance, as was recently brought to national attention following the White House drone crash, you can’t fly a drone in DC airspace, even recreationally. National parks are also off limits. If you’re wondering exactly where you can and can’t fly, here’s a helpful and continually updated map of “no-fly zones” in the US."


https://3dr.com/us-drone-laws-faa/

New rules from December 2015:

"Do you need to register your drone?
Drones that weigh more than .55 pounds and less than 55 pounds must be registered. As the FAA helpfully points out, if your drone weighs more than two sticks of butter, you should register it.
Most toy drones under $100 won't weigh enough to qualify. If you plan on using the aircraft to carry a load such as a camera, that counts towards the minimum weight."

How heavy is the Roam-e?

"What happens if you don't register?
Criminal penalties for flying a drone without registering are up to three years in jail, or up to $250,000 in fines."

http://money.cnn.com/2015/12/24/technology/drone-faa-laws-registration/

Although this guideline seems to preclude using Roam-e (and other self-flying drones) in many instances:

"By definition, a model aircraft must be “flown within visual line of sight of the person operating the aircraft.” P.L. 112-95, section 336(c)(2).1 Based on the plain language of the statute, the FAA interprets this requirement to mean that: (1) the aircraft must be visible at all times to the operator; (2) that the operator must use his or her own natural vision (which includes vision corrected by standard eyeglasses or contact lenses) to observe the aircraft; and (3) people other than the operator may not be used in lieu of the operator for maintaining visual line of sight."

"While the statute would not preclude using an observer to augment the safety of the operation, the operator must be able to view the aircraft at all times."

So technically the drone wouldn't be allowed to follow you down a ski slope or along a bike track as you wouldn't be able to view it.

https://www.faa.gov/uas/media/model_aircraft_spec_rule.pdf