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A Senate bill to reauthorize the FAA contains provisions related to the manufacture of drones that could apply to home-built drones, as well as those produced by large consumer manufacturers. The bill in question, titled the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016, contains provisions that would have a significant impact on technology innovation by all manufacturers of small drones. With no size or weight threshold, the bill, if adopted, would add new and burdensome manufacturing, testing and approval restrictions to even the tiniest drones.  And, most disturbing, these restrictions could apply to hobby-built remote controlled aircraft or student-built drones, effectively prohibiting them from operating outdoors. The legislation could also retroactively ground already-built models that didn’t meet the manufacturing standards called for by the proposed legislation.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2016/03/16/senate-bill-could-ground-home-built-drones-no-exceptions-for-hobbyists-or-students/#2740ef90a6f2

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FAA sued in Federal Court by model aircraft hobbyist

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From Ars Technica:

According to the petition for review filed December 24, 2015 at the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, John Taylor is a "model aircraft hobbyist" who owns "one or more small unmanned hobby aircraft" and intends on acquiring more. He does not describe himself as a drone owner in the brief, nor would he confirm himself as such in a conversation with Ars. However, a profile on DIYDrones.com corresponds to his name and location.

In the case, Taylor asks that the appellate court cancel the new registration system that began on December 21. Taylor argues that the new rule is in violation of Section 336 of the FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, which states that the agency may not create new rules if such model aircraft are "flown strictly for hobby or recreational use." If he is indeed a drone owner, then the suit would seem to turn on whether the courts consider drones and traditional model aircraft as distinct from one another.

Other coverage:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/johngoglia/2016/01/04/faa-sued-in-federal-court-over-drone-registration-rules/

http://thehill.com/policy/transportation/264757-feds-sued-over-drone-registration-rules

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