Drone Registrations to be Mandatory in the US

With the arrival of new technology, drones are becoming a must-have for everyone in today’s age. The Consumer Technology Association estimates around 400,000 drones to be sold this holiday season in the US. However, with great power comes great responsibility, and drone owners need to start taking drone consequences seriously.

Due to the increasing numbers of unregistered drones, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released a number of recommendations that state that drone owners must register their UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) with the federal government. The information will be entered into a database in order to identify owners of disruptive or crashed drones.

Drones raise serious security issues when it comes to operating for purposes other than recreational use. An incident occurred last week in Oklahoma when a drone crashed into a prison yard amongst prisoners, carrying hacksaw blades, mobile phones and illegal drugs. Many drone users deliberately crash their drones into airliners. Another drone crashed into the White House lawn, causing widespread panic.

Such incidents prompted action on the part of the FAA by creating a task force to deal with unregistered drones. It included companies like Amazon, Best Buy, Google, GoPro, DJI, Wal-Mart, AMA, AIA, AOPA and the International Association of Chiefs of Police, among others.

FAA administrator Michael Huerta said, “Registration will give us an opportunity to educate new operators about airspace rules so they can use their unmanned aircraft safely. It will also help us more easily identify and take enforcement action against people who intentionally violate the rules or operate unsafely.”

A drone owner will have to fill an electronic registration form through a website or app, following which an electronic certificate of registration and personal universal registration number for use of all drones owned by that person will be sent. The owner is required to put the registration number on all applicable drones weighing over 250 grams. A minimum age limit of 13 years is imposed.

Owners who violate FAA regulations can be penalized upto $25,000. The amount is high in order to prevent drug trafficking and tax evasion. The FAA intends to keep registration data private, and stated that it should be used by law enforcement officials only.