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US drone registration rules to be announced today (Monday)

Posted by Gary Mortimer on December 13, 2015 at 9:53pm

ANTHONY-FOXX-large570.jpg?resize=570%2C238

We heard yesterday that this was coming and have been given an idea of what's in them. Its not the best if true.

WASHINGTON–Please join U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx and Deputy Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Administrator Michael Whitaker for an announcement about the aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). A Registration Task Force delivered recommendations to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on November 21, 2015.

When: Monday, December 14, 2015 at 9:30 a.m. EST

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Comments

  • Ryan Watkins December 14, 2015 at 6:06pm

    Do they have their website up yet? Also, is it just commercially bought copters, or are custom-from-scratch copters also included?

  • Scott W December 14, 2015 at 4:36pm

    I still don't understand how this will help them find people who are causing problems. 
    If the drone doesn't have a number on it, and the 'pilot' is sitting in a car a kilometer away, how does this help?

    It seems like it will only hurt people who mean well and register and are flying in line of sight, but lose control.

    So malicious intent is still in the clear, but accidents can be punished. 

  • R. D. Starwalt December 14, 2015 at 4:33pm

    From those experienced with this branch of our bloated government...

    http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/apparel-and-gifts/aviation-t-shirt...

    and more to the point...

    http://www.sportys.com/pilotshop/apparel-and-gifts/aviation-t-shirt...

    Absurd.. simply absurd.

    -=Doug

  • Glen J December 14, 2015 at 4:21pm

    Fred,

    Thanks for finding that.  Hopefully I can register on-line before heading down in the sprig.

  • Fred Goeddert December 14, 2015 at 3:30pm

    Glen J,

    read page 210 in the .pdf

    http://www.faa.gov/news/updates/media/20151213_IFR.pdf

  • Glen J December 14, 2015 at 3:13pm

    I didn't see anything covering non-US citizen, non-resident registration.  For example a Canadian tourist visiting the US with a drone for recreational purposes?  For $5 I'd register but may not be able to.

  • Developer
    John Arne Birkeland December 14, 2015 at 2:38pm

    Soo.. Since you seem to be stuck with this. I was wondering, can it be gamed?

    My thinking is that by forcing mandatory registration, are they not also implicitly officially sanctioning copter flying..? And as a sanctioned and registered pilot, it should then be possible to demand certain rights.

  • Developer
    Bill Bonney December 14, 2015 at 2:33pm

    @Rob In the document linked in earlier comments, they are stating that the Administrator in the Pirker case said it was an 'aircraft'. Thus they conclude this new class of 'sUAS, used as model aircraft' are under FAA jurisdiction. see page 22

    "Administrator v. Pirker, NTSB Order No. EA-5730 at 12 (Nov. 17, 2014) (affirming that the statutory definition of aircraft is clear and unambiguous and “includes any aircraft, manned or unmanned, large or small.”)."

    earlier on page Page 11 you can read the details.

    "The Secretary and the Administrator recently affirmed that all unmanned aircraft, including model aircraft, are aircraft consistent with congressional direction in Title III, Subtitle B of Public Law 112-95 and the existing definition of aircraft in title 49 of the United States Code. 49 U.S.C. 40102. As such, in accordance with 49 U.S.C 44101(a) and as further prescribed in 14 CFR part 47, registration is required prior to operation. See 80 FR 63912, 63913 (October 22, 2015)"

    Seems like they have the rule of law behind them. I'm sure they didn't go all he way in the Pirker case since they had forced him to concede to a plea bargain, which in itself is case law confirming they are right. (and they have quoted it as such)

    It seems that all modelers (or should I say sUAS pilots who fly sUAS as model aircraft ;-) ) in the US now need to be registered to fly. New pilots need to register from the 21st, and old timers need to have their registrations by February 2016.

  • David Boulanger December 14, 2015 at 2:22pm

    Just got an email from the AMA.  They said the $5 fee will be waved if the aircraft is registered within 30 days of December 21st.  Honestly,  I'm not sure what is going on at this point.

    Regards,

    David R. Boulanger

  • earthpatrol December 14, 2015 at 1:51pm

    @SkyRover +1 :)

This reply was deleted.