FAA rolls out web system to register small UAVs

All unmanned aircraft more than about a half-pound in weight will now need to be registered with the federal government, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced Monday as officials belatedly move to try to bring accountability to the burgeoning number of drones in the skies.

The new regulations echo the rules that were recommended in November by a special task force of retailers, pilots, law enforcement and scores of other stakeholders.

The $5 fee to sign up will be waived for the first 30 days to encourage as many people to sign up as possible.

Accepting the guidance of an advisory panel, the FAA said registration is required for any hobbyist drone weighing between 0.55 pounds and 55 pounds.

Anyone 13 and older can register themselves as an operator; younger children can operate drones under adult supervision with proper registration. But it also gives the agency a vehicle to educate owners just as thousands get drones as presents for Christmas and other holidays. After that, normal registration will cost $5 a pop. You can’t fully complete registration until December 21, but you can get started at their registration web site here right now.

The format of the registration system has received mixed reviews among industry groups.

With that, the FAA announced at long last its guidelines for registration. Registration is a statutory requirement that applies to all aircraft, from small to large, the agency said in its statement.

An FAQ reveals that criminal penalties could include fines of up to $250,000, and jail time for up to three years. Those who want to use their drones for nefarious purposes still won’t register them, of course. People who buy them later must register before their first outdoor flight.

The new rule applies only to recreational drones.

Owners may use either a paper-based process or a web-based system at www.faa.gov/uas/registration, which will return a Certificate of Aircraft Registration/Proof of Ownership that includes a unique identification number that must be marked on the aircraft.

Registrations are valid for three years.

The push for registration comes as safety concerns regarding operators that are flying where they shouldn’t be or losing control and crashing their devices continue to make headlines in the United States. The FAA is working on separate rules that will govern them.