All consumer drones between 0.55 and 55 pounds will need to be registered. Photos: Parrot, Flying-Cam.
by AUVSI News
Today, the Federal Aviation Administration announced it will implement a drone registration process before the holidays as a method to keep operators accountable.
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced the initiative this morning and said the process would run through a registration website that will go live on Dec. 21. Drone registration will cost $5 per operator; however, registration will be free for the first 30 days of the process.
“My message to unmanned aircraft operators is simple: It is in your best interest to register early,” he said.
For anyone who purchased a drone prior to Dec. 21, registration will be required by Feb. 19. For anyone who purchases a drone after that date, they must register before they first fly outdoors.
Once a drone operator registers through the website, they will receive a certificate they can print out with a registration number. That number must be placed on their aircraft, and there is no limit to the number of drones the registration number can apply to. The registration is valid for three years.
The registration process will only apply to drones that weigh from 0.55 pounds up to 55 pounds. The registration process is purely for hobby operators.
The FAA gathered information on how to startup a registration process by assembling an emergency task force of government and industry stakeholders that hammered out requirements in a two-day meeting held earlier this month, which included representation from AUVSI. While the FAA kept many of the task force’s recommendations, the group originally called for free registration.
In a press call, FAA Deputy Administrator Michael Whitaker did not offer specific penalties for drone operators in violation of the registration process but did say “there are civil and criminal enforcement opportunities available to us.”
However, “the goal is not to be punitive, but to get people in compliance with the regulations,” Whitaker said.
Both Whitaker and Foxx stressed the importance of safety as unmanned aircraft are integrated into the national airspace. Whitaker said the Know Before You Fly initiative, run by AUVSI and the Academy of Model Aeronautics, already places information on flight safety in most drone packaging. Whitaker said in the future, registration for drones may be available at the point of sale through these companies.
“Unmanned aircraft operators are aviators and with that title comes great responsibility,” said Foxx.
AUVSI President and CEO Brian Wynne, who served on the registration task force, said today that “while the creation of a registration system is an important step to enhance safety, the FAA must continue its work to integrate UAS into the national airspace, starting by finalizing the small UAS rule. Putting the rule in place will provide the necessary tools and training to create a culture of safety that will help deter careless and reckless behavior.”
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