Recreational / Hobbyist UAS pilot reported flying in controlled airspace without authorization.

Narrative

On Day 0 at approximately XA:15; I activated my personal Drone (less than 250g) and the RC Controller map indicated no issues flying below 400 ft. AGL at my location; other than indicating I was in a warning zone; and to fly with caution. As a result; I undertook a 6 minute drone flight in the parking lot. In an effort to fly safely; I flew over a nearly-empty parking lot with manual control; taking care to fly in an area without people or cars. I also maintained a low flying altitude of less than 50 feet; and maintained constant visual contact. I undertook this flight with my personal equipment as a private citizen; with the intent to donate the footage to my employer to help educate the community on the location and operation of an Emergency Severe Weather Shelter. At this time; I was under the impression this was a non-commercial activity; and would not require a Part 107 operator license.Subsequently; I activated the drone again for a 10 minute demonstration in an open field at local park in the early afternoon on Day 7; this time recreationally. For this test; I was demonstrating the automated 'master shots' flight feature; and toggled between this and manual control; maintaining VLOS and a max altitude under 150 feet.Despite my good intent; I was unknowingly within a Class D no-fly zone; albeit on the outer reaches of the area during these flights. Because of this I briefly operated my drone without understanding that I needed to obtain proper ATC or LAANC prior approval.To my recollection; these are the only times that I have operated the drone in Class D airspace; other than activating it indoors inside my home to test it. I am still very much a novice and have flown infrequently for short periods. I sincerely believed I understood the rules for recreational flight; and had received erroneous advice from a licensed UAS operator in the past that the safeguards in the drone software would prevent me from unauthorized operation.In retrospect; I should have done more research before flying but I was under the impression that micro drones (<250 g) could be flown anywhere <400 ft. AGL unless alerted or disabled by the App. I had recently updated the software on the drone and remote controller; and did not believe the drone would take off in a restricted area (or alert me that I was in a no-fly area); and it was never my intention to do so. Additionally; I mistook the vague and misleading 'fly with caution' warning issued by the remote control to indicate that I was operating in a safe area.Furthermore; I was under the mistaken impression that because I was a recreational flyer operating a <250g micro drone; and since aforementioned operation was an act of goodwill; neither myself nor the public sector agency would profit monetarily from the use of the footage; and that it was included in a public service message the operation in question did not require a 107 license. I am still unclear on the nuance and what is permitted; but I realize I may have misunderstood the FAA definition of 'non-commercial' as it relates to recreational flights.The footage collected on Day 0 was used in a video published online on Day 7. I was approached about the origin of the drone footage and how it was obtained; and out of an abundance of caution I wanted to confirm I had abided by FAA regulations. After having a conversation with a licensed drone operator on the afternoon of Day 7; he made me aware that despite my good intentions; my understanding of the regulations was inaccurate. Upon hearing this; I immediately completed The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST);. researching the relevant rules; and registered my drone through the FAA DroneZone for good measure. Having reviewed the iAloft app map; I realize now that my flight was on the edge of a Class D flight area; and required [LAANC] prior approval. In addition; acts of goodwill may be considered commercial operations; and may require the PIC to have a Part 107 license anda drone with a registered remote ID. I have taken steps to have the video taken down and replaced with the drone footage omitted.I consider myself to be overly cautious when operating my drone; and have only activated it a handful of times. I would like to point out that in both of these instances; I took great care to fly away from populated areas; away from people; and at the lowest altitude possible to maintain VLOS. I sincerely believed I was operating in accordance with FAA regulations; and that the safeguards in the drone software would prevent me from unauthorized operation. To ensure that any future UAS flights are compliant; I will study and take the exam for a Part 107 License. In the interim I will familiarize myself with the regulations; prioritize safety in all future my drone operations; consult updated flight maps and follow best practices for safe flying. I will also take great care to consider whether any operation might be construed as commercial or non-commercial in nature; and cease and desist from any further unlicensed commercial operation.I believe it would be helpful if the Drone remote warning/alert was more explicit- 'warning zone: fly with caution' is a confusing and misleading warning message; unlike 'restricted airspace' or 'no-fly zone'. Clearer warnings and possibly additional safeguards (such as disabling in no-fly areas) would be helpful for the novice/recreational flyer.This report outlines two instances where I inadvertently operated my drone within Class D airspace without prior approval; despite my belief that I was following FAA regulations. Both flights were conducted with safety precautions and good intentions but were carried out based on an incorrect understanding of the rules.Incident 1: Day 0Time & Location: Approximately XA:15 PM; parking lot near Location A.Flight Details:Drone: Small UAS (<250g).Altitude: <50 feet AGL.Duration: 6 minutes.Purpose: Capture footage to support community education about an Emergency Severe Weather Shelter. The footage was intended for donation to my employer; a public sector agency.Flight occurred in a nearly empty parking lot. Operated manually; maintaining visual line of sight (VLOS). Avoided flying near people or vehicles. Cause: I was unaware that the location fell within Class D airspace; requiring LAANC approval or ATC coordination.Incident 2: Day 7Time & Location: Early afternoon; open field at local park.Flight Details:Altitude: <150 feet AGL.Duration: 10 minutes.Purpose: Recreational demonstration of the drone's automated 'Master Shots' feature.Maintained VLOS throughout. Operated in an open; sparsely populated area. Cause: This flight also occurred on the outer edge of Class D airspace without the required authorization.I relied on the Drones app 'fly with caution' warning; interpreting it as permission to operate. I assumed the drone's software would prevent operation in restricted airspace.I mistakenly believed flights with micro drones (<250g) below 400 feet AGL were unrestricted unless explicitly disabled by software. Erroneous advice from a licensed UAS operator reinforced this belief. I misunderstood that acts of goodwill could be considered commercial operations requiring a Part 107 license.Filed safety report through NASA ASRSCompleted the FAA's [The] Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) immediately after realizing my error.Registered my drone through the FAA DroneZone.Reviewed updated flight maps and the iAloft app; which confirmed both locations were within Class D airspace.Cease and desist operation in restricted space without prior LAANC/ATC authorizationI requested the agency remove or delist copies of the video published on Day 7 that included footage from the Day 0 flight.Committed to obtaining a Part 107 license.Will carefully evaluate whether future operations could be considered commercial.Will consult current airspace maps and prioritize safety and compliance.Suggestions: The drones software should provide explicit alerts for restricted airspace; such as 'No-Fly Zone' or 'Restricted Airspace;' rather than vague warnings like 'fly with caution.' Built-in safeguards to prevent operation in restricted areas would significantly help recreational and novice pilots.I deeply regret these oversights and have taken immediate steps to ensure full compliance with FAA regulations moving forward. My intention was never to bypass rules but to operate safely and responsibly. I will continue to prioritize education; safety; and adherence to regulatory requirements in all future drone operations.