A couple of weeks ago, I bought my first drone: a DJI Mavic Pro. I’d been eyeing one for months, trying to decide if it was worth it and if I could justify its use for my business. I pulled the trigger right after Thanksgiving, have been trying to learn all of the rules about using it, and have been studying for the FAA Part 107 test ever since. And there are a lot of rules. And one of those rules is about to change — again— thanks to a bill President Trump signed yesterday that requires all drone flyers in the U.S., including hobbyists, to register with the FAA. Back in 2015, the FAA issued a rule that required all hobbyists to register their drones with the agency. It was a relatively painless process: you just give your name and contact information, pay $5, and you get an ID number to put on your drone. But that rule was overturned by a federal judge in May, and since then it was unnecessary to register with the FAA if you weren’t flying for commercial purposes.
That rule was reinstated yesterday with the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act, which Trump signed into law, and now all hobbyists (and, if I’m not mistaken, all commercial flyers as well) will have to register with the FAA.
Navigating all of the rules relating to flying drones legally and safely isn’t always easy, especially when they keep changing. But, it’s understandable why the rules exist. Drone sales are increasing quickly, and are expected to double by 2020, and that means that without some sort of framework in place, there would be a lot of little electronic birds floating around without anything to hold them accountable.
What do you think of this rule reinstatement? Or about the rules surrounding drone use in general? I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below, and let us know whether you fly for fun or for business.
[via The Hill]
This stupid shit wouldn't be happening if it weren't for the fears started by that jackass Edward Snowden...
Really? I thought this was an attempt to avoid collisions with commercial aircraft, etc.
Or who to sue if you drop one on someone's head and run. And how long til someone straps a bomb to one?
Drones aren't a problem, and if they become one, this won't do anything to prevent it.
This is just pointless, who is going to (and capable) enforce this in a way that makes any real difference whatsoever?
It's really weird to me the stark contrast between commercial and hobby level flying. I'm currently studying for the FAA Part 107 test and it's almost ridiculous the amount of knowledge they expect you to know as a commercial drone pilot. On the other hand, all you have to do to fly for fun is register the drone without any other knowledge of the rules and regulations. I'm not advocating for every drone owner to have to pass a test or get licensed to fly a drone, but registering them isn't going to have any positive impact on the current incident levels.
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I'll register my Spark when people register their guns.
I can do much more damage with my car. I don't have to register that with the feds.
I have been a Private Pilot for 40 years...I own 3 airplanes. I also fly drones (fixed wing and multi rotor). According to AOPA, as of 2011 there were 224,475 active General Aviation aircraft. According to the FAA, there are around 2.5 million drones in the USA. FAA expects that number to grow to 7 million by 2020. The FAA is a slow moving, antiquated dinosaur that has refused to embrace modern technology. They struggle to deal with the small number of aircraft currently under their administration(just apply for a simple field approval for an STC and sit back and enjoy the circus). I cannot begin to imagine how the FAA can even begin to police the number of drones that are in this country. The scary thing to me is that as these numbers grow, the "drone" community will become powerful enough to have a voice in politics (you can bet the manufacturers will have lobbyists). The day very well may come when I, as a Private Pilot, will move to the "back seat" in the National Airspace System(after all I will become the minority in the future). Before I end this little "rant", let me remind everyone that we are dealing with a government agency (the only agency that gets to make the rules AND enforce them). I'm doubtful that the FAA is up to the task and SURELY the small matter of 5 dollars x 7 million had nothing to do with the decision to require registration.