Registration of Drones Now Compulsory in the US.

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New U.S. FAA rule requires drone owners to register by Feb 19 | Reuters'

"The Federal Aviation Administration, responding to heightened concerns about rogue drone flights near airports, unveiled a pre-Christmas rule on Monday requiring drone hobbyists as young as 13 years old to register their unmanned aircraft.

The new online registry will require current drone owners to register by Feb. 19, while anyone who acquires aircraft after Dec. 21 would need to register before their first outdoor flight. After registering, drone owners will receive an FAA identification number that they must display on aircraft weighing between 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and 55 pounds (25 kgs).


Failure to register can result in a hefty penalty, including civil fines of up to $27,500 and criminal penalties of up to $250,000 and three years in prison."

This covers other radio controlled aircraft such as planes, gliders and helicopters as well.
  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    It was bound to happen.

    I think the fines are a bit hefty, however I'm not opposed to the idea. There is potentially a lot of damage that can be done to life, limb and property by drones. Not to mention invasion of privacy issues.

    I guess it's only a matter of time before some ne'er do well starts using drones for evil intent, so perhaps this is a way of pre-emptively reducing the risk of that.

    It's an interesting development though.
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

      It was bound to happen.

      I think the fines are a bit hefty, however I'm not opposed to the idea. There is potentially a lot of damage that can be done to life, limb and property by drones. Not to mention invasion of privacy issues.

      I guess it's only a matter of time before some ne'er do well starts using drones for evil intent, so perhaps this is a way of pre-emptively reducing the risk of that.

      It's an interesting development though.
      And ALSO by rockets, planes, cars, helicoptors, etc... Some of THEM even have recording long distance transmitting cameras. Yet somehow THEY are immune! I wonder, could you have3 or 12 rotors, and avoid registration?

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
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        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        And ALSO by rockets, planes, cars, helicoptors, etc... Some of THEM even have recording long distance transmitting cameras. Yet somehow THEY are immune! I wonder, could you have3 or 12 rotors, and avoid registration?

        Steve
        Gee ... I have to register my car every year and I'm pretty sure that rockets, planes and helicopters are registered also.
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      • Profile picture of the author derekwong28
        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        And ALSO by rockets, planes, cars, helicoptors, etc... Some of THEM even have recording long distance transmitting cameras. Yet somehow THEY are immune! I wonder, could you have3 or 12 rotors, and avoid registration?

        Steve
        Steve, they are not immune. All flying models of any type over 0.55 lbs have to be registered. Many RC plane and helicopter fliers felt that this was unfair as they were dragged into it by the drone users. Before drones came along, RC aircraft were usually flown in remote areas well away from people and airports. Now some idiots like flying drones over peoples' heads and near airports.
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        • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
          Banned
          Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

          Steve, they are not immune. All flying models of any type over 0.55 lbs have to be registered. Many RC plane and helicopter fliers felt that this was unfair as they were dragged into it by the drone users. Before drones came along, RC aircraft were usually flown in remote areas well away from people and airports. Now some idiots like flying drones over peoples' heads and near airports.
          I see no difference between a drone and an RC plane and helicopter. They all can cause damage to people, aircraft and property.
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    • Profile picture of the author Star Man
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      • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Star Man View Post

        This place is like a kindergarten.
        Really? Who got promoted??

        Cheers. - Frank
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      • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
        Originally Posted by Star Man View Post

        This place is like a kindergarten.
        Then go away and join a forum devoted to investing in Belorussian sky trains
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      • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
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        • Profile picture of the author Star Man
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          • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
            Banned
            Originally Posted by Star Man View Post

            I rest my case.
            If only that were true, I'd believe in Santa Claus all over again.
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          • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
            Originally Posted by Star Man View Post

            The money is in the hefty fines.
            A completely irrelevant point as anyone will gladly hand over a fiver and avoid ever paying the fines. Only those with less than honest intentions will avoid paying the registration fee. Everyone else will pay the fee just as they do with cars, motorbikes, trucks, boats and planes, even if it's only begrudgingly.
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            • Profile picture of the author Star Man
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            • Profile picture of the author Star Man
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              • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
                Banned
                Originally Posted by Star Man View Post

                It's about making it easier to chase down guys and companies like in that article if they have the identification number.
                ... gee. Or maybe it's about investigating those drones reported that DO NOT have a registration number. The lack of a registration number is just as apparent as having one, and would be like flying with a big red flag on the aircraft.
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                • Profile picture of the author Kay King
                  It's about making it easier to chase down guys and companies like in that article if they have the identification number.
                  Well....yeah!

                  Cars are sold with VIN numbers - planes have registration numbers. Drone popularity got out of control before feds got their act together.

                  Ideally, every drone sold would be either trackable or traceable. That is not the case so far. The registration opens the potential for serious charges against those operating drones in restricted areas or violating privacy or interfering with law enforcement or endangering public safety, or....

                  Currently there's not much you can charge someone with - that's about to change.
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                  • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
                    I mentioned this to my sister last night and she ran into the bedroom in a rush and pulled out my nieces mini remote control chopper xmas stocking stuffer so we could look up the weight on it.

                    Mind you, there was no weight on the box, but it felt like it would be well under a half pound - considering the controller was probably more weight than the little chopper.

                    Nieces are both over 18 btw and in military school - 1 has/will fly planes.

                    I hate to say it, but I'd be willing to bet one of these could be added to it and it still would be under that weight restriction:

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                    • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
                      If they really want to control this, that registration needs to happen immediately at the point of sale.
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  • Profile picture of the author agc
    If the registration were free, then this seems almost sensible to me. Just register your plane, and keep on flying legally.

    However, if there is a fee, which there almost certainly will be, then it becomes problematic for hobbyists who may have (or built) many different units.

    It also becomes somewhat discriminatory in that of course white suburban kids can afford the fee, but black inner city kids can't. I say "somewhat" because suburban and inner city don't actually equate to white and black, and there are plenty of other things inner city kids don't get to do, and RC doesn't seem a big determination of success other than a predeliction to geekiness does in general.

    But it is a shame they couldn't be bothered to do their job and figure out how to write regulations that apply only to the problematic uses, like in areas with population density or crowd densities over x or for commercial use, while not creating a risk of unreasonable prosecution in the uses that are not, and never were, problematic.

    The fact that they made Timmy flying his toy helicopter around his quarter acre back yard subject to a 5 figure fine is just so typical of the jacknuts who come up with these rules.

    Of course, I would expect nothing less from the fednuts.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    Originally Posted by derekwong28 View Post

    "The Federal Aviation Administration, responding to heightened concerns about rogue drone flights near airports, unveiled a pre-Christmas rule on Monday requiring drone hobbyists as young as 13 years old to register their unmanned aircraft.

    Hilarious. They have an age limit?

    I guess it's ok for a 12 year old to fly a drone anywhere they want without getting into trouble.

    Reminds me of the Blue Law where you can't buy shoes on Sunday before noon. Trust me, I tried, they won't sell the shoes.

    Chalk it up as another half baked law.
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    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
      The 12 yr olds parents would be in trouble for not registering the drone. This has to happen - and the first month of registration is free. There have been too many commercial pilots reporting drones in airspace on takeoff and landing and more complaints from the public about invasion of privacy.

      Fines are big to discourage people from not bothering to register...but I wonder how often those fines will be imposed.

      I think registration is the platform for putting some restrictions in place on what people can do - where they can fly - with drones.
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      • Profile picture of the author yukon
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        The 12 yr olds parents would be in trouble for not registering the drone. This has to happen - and the first month of registration is free. There have been too many commercial pilots reporting drones in airspace on takeoff and landing and more complaints from the public about invasion of privacy.

        Fines are big to discourage people from not bothering to register...but I wonder how often those fines will be imposed.

        I think registration is the platform for putting some restrictions in place on what people can do - where they can fly - with drones.

        I don't get it, a parent is responsible for a kid 12 or younger but when the same kid/s turn 13+ the parent is no longer responsible?
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        • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
          Banned
          The fee is $5 and free if you register in the first 90 days. Quit your friggin' whining and pay up.

          Cheers. - Frank
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          • Profile picture of the author lanfear63
            What's the difference between Claude and a Drone..

            The Drone can stay up for more than 2 minutes
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          • Profile picture of the author yukon
            Banned
            Originally Posted by BigFrank View Post

            The fee is $5 and free if you register in the first 90 days. Quit your friggin' whining and pay up.

            Cheers. - Frank


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            • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
              Banned
              Originally Posted by yukon View Post

              Image[/CENTER]
              Yeah, it must be tough having the jackboot of the federal government crushing your neck. lol

              Cheers. - Frank
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              • Profile picture of the author agc
                Originally Posted by BigFrank View Post

                Yeah, it must be tough having the jackboot of the federal government crushing your neck. lol

                Cheers. - Frank
                A lot tougher than being oblivious to everything until it's too late.

                There are those who earn the rights and then there are those who enjoy them.

                Ideally would appreciate those who earn and defend the rights and freedoms they enjoy daily.

                Unfortunately, a sad kind of cluelessness seems to be about the best you can hope for with most people.
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                • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
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                  Originally Posted by agc View Post

                  A lot tougher than being oblivious to everything until it's too late.
                  One man's 'oblivious' is another man's 'well-reasoned decision to ignore.'
                  There are those who earn the rights and then there are those who enjoy them.
                  Earning the right is the price one pays to enjoy them.
                  Ideally would appreciate those who earn and defend the rights and freedoms they enjoy daily.
                  Well, since I fought to defend my rights, I believe I should be able to enjoy them. That includes the right not to be impacted by unregistered drones piloted by some yahoo who's final words for all concerned equate to, "Hey, y'all. Watch this!"
                  Unfortunately, a sad kind of cluelessness seems to be about the best you can hope for with most people.
                  One man's 'cluelessness' is a another man's 'conscious decision to not see things someone else's way.'

                  Now, where would you like your registration form sent to? :-)

                  Cheers,

                  Frank
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              • Profile picture of the author sbucciarel
                Banned
                Originally Posted by BigFrank View Post

                Yeah, it must be tough having the jackboot of the federal government crushing your neck. lol

                Cheers. - Frank

                Shhhhh .... there are some here that think that humans aren't registered at birth and the government doesn't know they exist. So they're worried that having to register anything at all is divulging top secret information and will clue the gov in on the fact that they actually do exist. Never mind about that car registration, social security number, taxes paid annually, school records, armed services if any, etc. etc. etc.
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                • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
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                  Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

                  Shhhhh .... there are some here that think they are human
                  Fixed that for you.

                  Cheers. - Frank
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                  • Profile picture of the author Jill Carpenter
                    Originally Posted by sbucciarel View Post

                    Shhhhh .... there are some here that think that humans aren't registered at birth and the government doesn't know they exist. So they're worried that having to register anything at all is divulging top secret information and will clue the gov in on the fact that they actually do exist. Never mind about that car registration, social security number, taxes paid annually, school records, armed services if any, etc. etc. etc.
                    No need to bring up IP addresses, and cameras in all the gas stations and downtown.

                    Big brother? Where?
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                    • Profile picture of the author Kay King
                      What I've noticed (Hurricane Katrina, the economic dips) - is those people so proud of staying "off the govt radar" are often desperate to get back on the radar when govt money (or BP payoffs) is distributed.
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              • Profile picture of the author yukon
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                Originally Posted by BigFrank View Post

                Yeah, it must be tough having the jackboot of the federal government crushing your neck. lol

                Cheers. - Frank


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      • Profile picture of the author agc
        Originally Posted by Kay King View Post

        Fines are big to discourage people from not bothering to register...but I wonder how often those fines will be imposed.
        Which is exactly why they are a really bad idea, as it leads to selective enforcement.
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    • Profile picture of the author Midnight Oil
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      Reminds me of the Blue Law where you can't buy shoes on Sunday before noon. Trust me, I tried, they won't sell the shoes.
      Sunday Shoe Shoppers serve Satan and contribute to the decline of society.
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      • Profile picture of the author yukon
        Banned
        Originally Posted by Midnight Oil View Post

        Sunday Shoe Shoppers serve Satan and contribute to the decline of society.



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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      Hilarious. They have an age limit?

      I guess it's ok for a 12 year old to fly a drone anywhere they want without getting into trouble.

      Reminds me of the Blue Law where you can't buy shoes on Sunday before noon. Trust me, I tried, they won't sell the shoes.

      Chalk it up as another half baked law.
      It USED to be that anyone under 18, if even by a MONTH was EXEMPT from all this garbage! The NEW cutoff appears to be 13! Don't ask me why!

      There ARE exceptions, of course! The OLD cutoff for SS registration was 18! IIRC, it is now FIVE!!!!!!

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author whateverpedia
    Has anyone else noticed a similarity in style of the posts of Star Man and banned serial troll HN?

    It's probably a coincidence that when HN was banned (again) ,Star Man suddenly popped up proclaiming his own brilliance at everything.
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    • Profile picture of the author Cali16
      Originally Posted by whateverpedia View Post

      Has anyone else noticed a similarity in style of the posts of Star Man andbanned serial troll HN?

      It's probably a coincidence that when HN was banned (again) ,Star Man suddenly popped up proclaiming his own brilliance at everything.
      Yes. Both have superiority complexes and post with condescending rudeness. Probably one and the same.
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  • Profile picture of the author mohsin qureshi
    Registration of Drones? Are you serious, its mean a number plate will issued to Drones in near future. So what about Airplanes?
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