The Federal Aviation Administration
("FAA") has just celebrated a milestone date in the regulatory history of small
UAS. It has been one year since the
FAA’s web-based drone registration
system went online. As of December 21, 2015,
the FAA required all owners of model aircraft,
small unmanned aircraft, otherwise known as "drones", or other remote controlled aircraft weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds
to register online before taking to the skies.
The online registration rules require drone owners thirteen (13) years and older to
submit their name, email and home address to receive a Certificate of Aircraft
Registration/Proof of Ownership. This Certificate includes a unique identification number
owners must affix to any drone they own and operate exclusively for recreation.
The FAA has reported that, during
the last year, the system has registered more than 616,000 owners and
individual drones.
The FAA stated that the rule and
the registration system were primarily aimed at the thousands of drone
hobbyists who had little or no experience with the U.S. aviation system. The
agency saw registration as an excellent way to give them a sense of
responsibility and accountability for their actions as the agency incorporates
drones into the National Airspace System.
The FAA developed the web-based
registration system to make the process easier for first-time users compared
with the traditional paper-based “N-number” registration system which is still
utilized for aircraft in excess of 55 pounds.
Then and now, hobbyists pay a $5.00 fee and receive a single
identification number for all the drones they own.
Registration is valid for three
years. Once registered, owners are able
to access the registration website to update the information provided to
register the aircraft as well as cancel registration as circumstances require
(e.g., aircraft destruction, transfer, sale, change in owner eligibility to
register).
The web-based UAS registration
database is not searchable by the public at this time. The FAA and the FAA contractor who maintain
the website and database are able to see the data that a registrant enters, but
no member of the public can access that
personal information. Under certain
circumstances, law enforcement officers might also be able to see the data.
Failure to register an aircraft can
result in civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties for failure to
register can include fines of up to $250,000 under 18 U.S.C. 3571 and/or
imprisonment up to three years.
Happy Anniversary, UAS Registration
requirements!
It is unbelievable that 616,000 owners and individual drones have successfully completed their FAA drone registration. Thanks to Analog Guy for sharing the drone law among us. It is necessary to know, particularly we need to make sure that we are clear about UAS registration requirements and about the penalty if failure, before FAA registration.
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