R.I. Gen. Laws § 1-4-4: Federal registration required.

No flight of civil aircraft, other than a foreign aircraft, shall be made or authorized to be made within this state unless the aircraft is possessed of valid aircraft registration and airworthiness or experimental certificates issued by the government of the United States, nor in violation of any term, specification, or limitation of those certificates. These restrictions do not apply to model aircraft operated in accordance with any regulations that the president and CEO may prescribe, or to a nonpassenger-carrying flight solely for inspection or test purposes authorized by the president and CEO or by the proper federal authority made without that certificate.