FAA Announces Small UAS Registration Rule

FAA ^ | December 14, 2015 | FAA

[zeugma]

For Immediate Release

December 14, 2015
Contact: Les Dorr or Alison Duquette
Phone: (202) 267-3883

Registration Begins on December 21, 2015, First 30 Days are Free

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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) today announced a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft (UAS) weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as on-board cameras.

The Registration Task Force delivered recommendations to FAA Administrator Michael Huerta and Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on November 21. The rule incorporates many of the task force recommendations.

“Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiast are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “Registration gives us an opportunity to work with these users to operate their unmanned aircraft safely. I’m excited to welcome these new aviators into the culture of safety and responsibility that defines American innovation.”

Registration is a statutory requirement that applies to all aircraft.  Under this rule, any owner of a small UAS who has previously operated an unmanned aircraft exclusively as a model aircraft prior to December 21, 2015, must register no later than February 19, 2016. Owners of any other UAS purchased for use as a model aircraft after December 21, 2015 must register before the first flight outdoors. Owners may use either the paper-based process or the new streamlined, web-based system.  Owners using the new streamlined web-based system must be at least 13 years old to register.

Owners may register through a web-based system at www.faa.gov/uas/registration

Registrants will need to provide their name, home address and e-mail address. Upon completion of the registration process, the web application will generate a Certificate of Aircraft Registration/Proof of Ownership that will include a unique identification number for the UAS owner, which must be marked on the aircraft.

Owners using the model aircraft for hobby or recreation will only have to register once and may use the same identification number for all of their model UAS. The registration is valid for three years.

The normal registration fee is $5, but in an effort to encourage as many people as possible to register quickly, the FAA is waiving this fee for the first 30 days (from Dec. 21, 2015 to Jan 20, 2016).

“We expect hundreds of thousands of model unmanned aircraft will be purchased this holiday season,” said FAA Administrator Huerta. “Registration gives us the opportunity to educate these new airspace users before they fly so they know the airspace rules and understand they are accountable to the public for flying responsibly.”

The online registration system does not yet support registration of small UAS used for any purpose other than hobby or recreation – for example, using an unmanned aircraft in connection with a business. The FAA is developing enhancements that will allow such online registrations by spring of 2016.

The full rule can be viewed here: www.faa.gov/news/updates/media/20151213_IFR.pdf

 

[zeugma]

Makes me want to go out and buy a drone just to thumb my nose at the bastards. The feral government is just plain out of control.

[WENDLE]

Never register!! Just FLY!!

[Up Yours Marxists]

What about hobbyists who build their own? How will they track these? What about selling drones at a flea market? How about ones paid for with cash only?

Did the FAA even think about any of this before they enacted this?

[wetgundog]

Another Federal Gestapo law to defy.

[butlerweave]

what about Styrofoam gliders and paper planes ?

[South40]

What about hobbyists who build their own? How will they track these?

It's not a matter of tracking. It's a matter of getting caught, paying a fine or going to jail for flying an unregistered craft.

I own a Phantom 2. I haven't decided if I will register, but that's because I fly mostly on my own property.

[Scrambler Bob]

They might be EPA waste.

[Up Yours Marxists]

But that means they have to catch someone flying one, right? A very small, very stealthy device. We’re not talking about a Cessna here.

Not saying I agree or disagree with registration. Just curious how this will be enforced when I would assume a good portion of drone owners are probably “up to no good.” Or so the government would lead us to believe.

[chulaivn66]

After a first read it appears to apply to any UAS, not just drones. That would include propeller or jet driven model aircraft as well. I would presume it to be limited to radio controlled. “...small unmanned aircraft (UAS) weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms)...”. I’m not wasting time to read the rule but that was my first impression.

[Rebelbase]

The first few who are caught with unregistered drones will be fined out the wazoo by the FAA with much publicity to follow.

Anyone know if registration applies to RC aircraft as well?

[South40]

They would have to catch someone, yes. And how that would work? Would the feds create a new arm of bureaucracy to search for violators? Would those officials approach pilots and ask them for proof the craft has been registered? I suppose anything is possible but just how far do they want to go to enforce this and how much are they willing to spend?

I may register just to avoid the $5 fee.

[uncle fenders]

The rc airplane guys are pretty mad. Most official clubs belong to the AMA which is involved with safety rules,regs, insurance etc.
People in the AMA have been required to put their name and AMA number in the plane for years.. Everyone in the hobby has been lumped in with all the quad copter guys that are causing trouble...

Clubs already are required to fly line of site.. a pilot can use the FPV ,but he must have a spotter next to him ABLE TO SEE AND SAVE the plane if the FPV flier gets in trouble. This means flying over close area and not off flying over cities or private property.

We have been self policing on noise ,club and visitor safety for years with risky behavior a no no. Rules are sometimes ignored as anywhere.. but we have a fairly good record when you consider the amount of RC flights logged cross the country.

[Ed Condon]

“What about selling drones at a flea market? How about ones paid for with cash only?”

I think you have exposed the drone show loophole. We can’t have people buying these “assault drones”.

[uncle fenders]

I forgot to add there are rules of announcing when someone needs to go on the field for something.. so that nobody is hurt. We have rules about flying over people, all flying is supposed to be out front past the controlled flight line. Also everyone keeps an eye, or ear out for full scale aircraft. We seldom see anything really low, but when a plane is spotted its announced so all flying can come down even lower to avoid any conflict....

[bunkerhill7]

FAA Announces Small UAS Registration Rule,
Excludes Home-Built Cruise Missiles

there fixed `er

[ctdonath2]

http://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/3372482/posts

[philetus]

For some reason this reminds me of the onset of the seat belt law. “We’re doing this to make people aware they should be using them. Nobody is going to get ticketed or fined”.

[philetus]

Next will be the camera permits.

[dila813]

And what good will this do?

Next it will be prison for anyone removing the serial number from the aircraft.

[smokingfrog]

http://amablog.modelaircraft.org/amagov/2015/12/14/ama-and-the-faa-registration-process/