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WASHINGTON - Owners of consumer drones will have to begin registering with the U.S. government starting next week under a policy issued in time for the expected holiday buying rush.
All but the smallest toys will qualify for tracking by the Federal Aviation Administration as the agency attempts to impose order on the burgeoning hobbyist use of the unmanned craft. Drones must be registered starting Dec. 21 and the agency will charge a $5 fee, which is required under current law, according to the FAA.
"Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiasts are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said at press conference Monday. "Registration gives us an opportunity to work with these users to operate their unmanned aircraft safely."
The Consumer Technology Association, an electronics- industry trade group, blasted the FAA in a Dec. 10 press release for including a fee in the registration rule. The charge would be "essentially a drone tax" and would undermine the government's goal of getting widespread compliance, Douglas Johnson, vice president for technology policy, said in the release.
Civilian drones weighing more than 250 grams (0.55 pounds) must be registered and identified with markings so that authorities have a better chance of finding the owner in the event of an illegal flight or crash, Whitaker said. People can register once and apply it to multiple drones.
The registration is good for three years and there's a provision allowing someone to cancel a registration if they sell a drone.
The agency will not charge the $5 fee for the first 30 days, he said. Current U.S. law requires that the agency charge the fee, which is the same for small private planes and airliners, he said.
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/faa-...utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email
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Aviator Spike told you so
All but the smallest toys will qualify for tracking by the Federal Aviation Administration as the agency attempts to impose order on the burgeoning hobbyist use of the unmanned craft. Drones must be registered starting Dec. 21 and the agency will charge a $5 fee, which is required under current law, according to the FAA.
"Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiasts are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said at press conference Monday. "Registration gives us an opportunity to work with these users to operate their unmanned aircraft safely."
The Consumer Technology Association, an electronics- industry trade group, blasted the FAA in a Dec. 10 press release for including a fee in the registration rule. The charge would be "essentially a drone tax" and would undermine the government's goal of getting widespread compliance, Douglas Johnson, vice president for technology policy, said in the release.
Civilian drones weighing more than 250 grams (0.55 pounds) must be registered and identified with markings so that authorities have a better chance of finding the owner in the event of an illegal flight or crash, Whitaker said. People can register once and apply it to multiple drones.
The registration is good for three years and there's a provision allowing someone to cancel a registration if they sell a drone.
The agency will not charge the $5 fee for the first 30 days, he said. Current U.S. law requires that the agency charge the fee, which is the same for small private planes and airliners, he said.
http://www.stripes.com/news/us/faa-...utm_campaign=Daily+Headlines&utm_medium=email
-------------------------------
Aviator Spike told you so
