Owners of Small Drones Must Get Registered, FAA Says

Owners of small, unmanned aircraft, otherwise known as drones, will now have to register their devices under a new rule announced by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) this week.

Small drones are classified as any unmanned aircraft weighing more than 0.55 pounds (250 grams) and less than 55 pounds (approx. 25 kilograms) including payloads such as on-board cameras.

There will be a $5 fee that will be waived for the first 30 days of registration, which takes effect Dec. 21.

“Make no mistake: unmanned aircraft enthusiast are aviators, and with that title comes a great deal of responsibility,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said. “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.”

Any owner of a small drone who has previously operated an unmanned aircraft exclusively as a model aircraft prior to Dec. 21 must register no later than Feb. 19, 2016.

Owners of any other drones purchased for use as a model aircraft after Dec. 21 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 drone 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.

“We expect hundreds of thousands of model unmanned aircraft will be purchased this holiday season,” FAA Administrator Peter Huerta said. “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 drones used for any purpose other than hobby or recreation, including the use an unmanned aircraft in connection with a business.

The FAA hopes to allow such online registrations by spring of 2016.

The FAA already bans drones from being flown above 400 feet in the air or within five miles of an airport.

In Ocean City, the use of drones outside within five miles of the Ocean City Airport is currently banned. That ban will be lifted on Sept. 8, 2016, unless council decides it will take the issue up prior to that expiration date.

Along with privacy and safety concerns, some Ocean City residents and officials expressed concern that a person can operate a drone from an unseen location, and the owner of the drone may never be found.