FAA to require most drones to be registered and marked

The FAA wanted to launch the registration process in anticipation of the purchase of millions of drones for holiday gift-giving.

After numerous reported incidents with unsafely operated small drones, the USA government has made a decision to link all unmanned aircraft with their owners through mandatory registration.

The FAA announced its recommendations for registering drones last month, having deliberated with a group of lawyers, companies, and organizations with an interest in the drone industry. Drone owners who are 13 and older will have to register on an FAA website that’s available starting December 21.

In 51 of those incidents, the drone got within 50 feet of the aircraft, and in most of those cases the plane had to maneuver to avoid hitting it. Most of those drone operators were violating existing rules that prohibit flights above 400 feet or within five miles of an airport. The Consumer Electronics Association estimates 700,000 people will buy drones during the holiday shopping season. Though there’s nothing stopping you from trying it inside the house, as risky as that may turn out to be. Upon completion of the registration process, the web application will generate a Certificate of Aircraft Registration/Proof of Ownership that will include a unique identification number for the UAS owner, which must be marked on the aircraft. One, geo-fencing, is a system that uses software to limit where unmanned aircraft can fly. “Registration gives us the opportunity to educate these new airspace users before they fly so they know the airspace rules and understand they are accountable to the public for flying responsibly”.

“I’m excited to welcome these new aviators into the culture of safety and responsibility that defines American innovation”, said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The regulation applies to small, unmanned aircraft weighing more than 0.55 pounds and less than 55 pounds including cameras and other items onboard. The fee will be refunded for anyone who registers in the first 30 days after December 21.

THE MORE we find out about drones buzzing around the nation’s airspace, the more concerned we become.

Drones are the newest version of model aircraft, a hobby that has been around for more than a century, but concerns about their safety are overtaking the issue.

“The goal is not to be punitive but to get people into compliance”, FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker said.

Brian Wynne, president and CEO of the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, said in a statement he was “pleased that the FAA has moved forward with a final registration rule that will lead to increased accountability across the entire aviation community”.