Americans No Longer Have to Register Non-Commercial Drones with the FAA

Megalith

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A court has ruled that the drone registration process no longer applies to hobbyists and other amateur, non-commercial flyers: lawmakers decided that doing so violated 2012’s FAA Modernization and Reform Act. That statute prohibits the FAA from passing any rules on the operation of model aircraft, which includes drones flown only for giggles. The drone industry is not pleased with this decision, however, as registration provides for both accountability and education to pilots.

…if a person buys a new drone to fly for fun, they no longer have to register that aircraft with the FAA. But if flying for commercial purposes, drone buyers still need to register. The lawsuit was won by John Taylor, a model aircraft enthusiast, who brought the case against the FAA in January 2016. Since first opening the FAA’s registration system in December 2015, more than 820,000 people have registered to fly drones. Perhaps surprisingly, the drone industry isn’t thrilled with the court’s order to end registration.
 
The registration did not educate pilots, nor did it add accountability. As someone who registered a few, I have no idea where they get this impression from.

Not sure what they are smoking, it was just free money for the FAA.

If someone was going to do something iffy with the drone, they are not going to register it, or at least not have its ID tag on. And aside from putting in CC info and clicking "submit", there is no education happening.
 
It is amazing that so many people voted for this law so quickly and then in the same speed was able to vote the law out.

O wait.....
 
So does this mean the whole "shooting a drone is like shooting a 747" is now BS?
 
The registration did not educate pilots, nor did it add accountability. As someone who registered a few, I have no idea where they get this impression from.

Not sure what they are smoking, it was just free money for the FAA.

If someone was going to do something iffy with the drone, they are not going to register it, or at least not have its ID tag on. And aside from putting in CC info and clicking "submit", there is no education happening.

Definitely seems like a cash grab then.
 
Excellent! I didn't register any of my RC stuff. Don't have to look over my shoulder anymore. Making America great again! lol
 
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Maybe the FAA saw how well NFA registration was bringing in bank for the ATF (SBR, silencers, AOW, etc) at $200 a pop, for doing nothing more than filing a simple form.

And there's an argument that the drone manufacturers saw the registration increase sales in anticipation that registration is often followed by more regulation and more restrictions. Buy 'em while you can, low level panic buying.
 
This doesn't change the legality of where you can fly your drone, this was just a $5 cash grab designed to intimidate drone flyers to put serial numbers on their aircraft (so when they crash people know who to sue).
 
So does this mean the whole "shooting a drone is like shooting a 747" is now BS?
Yes add Bugs Bunny standing next to a tree with the sign on it that says "Drone Hunting Season Now Open."

though a commercial drone is still a FAA registered aircraft and is protected.

"The drone industry is not pleased with this decision" are you sure about that?
 
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Maybe the FAA saw how well NFA registration was bringing in bank for the ATF (SBR, silencers, AOW, etc) at $200 a pop, for doing nothing more than filing a simple form.

And there's an argument that the drone manufacturers saw the registration increase sales in anticipation that registration is often followed by more regulation and more restrictions. Buy 'em while you can, low level panic buying.

In the very short time this was in place, they more or less had a website for you to pay for it on, to the tune of 4.1 million, and the drone hobby is still growing with them becoming cheaper all the time, without a doubt easy money for them.

As for gaining sales, I don't see how, panic buying would not happen, as any new rules would apply to ALL drones, not just newly sold ones. So if anything we would have seen sales slow, and most people had NO idea they needed to register the drones, I was asked many times what the numbers were on mine, as well as just normal taking to people about it, most were still unaware of it. As most people buying are looking for a toy for themselves or a kid, the thought it is regulated never crosses the mind outside of those people who are into it as an actual hobby.

So does this mean the whole "shooting a drone is like shooting a 747" is now BS?

It still is not, nor has it ever been ok to do this. They are still property and shooting one for the hell of it not only shows how much of an asshole someone is, but also can land you with a big fine as well as being responsible for its replacement.

Now, if it is for defense (unlikely) or to stop it from doing damage to your property etc etc there is a bit of a gray line and depends on what the drone is doing, air space as well as property it is over etc etc, lots of factors to consider.
 
The drone industry is unhappy about less red tape in the drone industry?

They were streching that a bit....Ok, A LOT. They had a single quote they are basing that on, which is:

“The FAA's innovative approach to drone registration was very reasonable, and registration provides for accountability and education to drone pilots,” DJI’s head of policy Brendan Schulman said in an email to Recode."

Just sounds like DJI didn't think the registration was THAT bad and as such did not hurt the hobby. It does NOT sound like they are upset about it being reversed either.
 
They were streching that a bit....Ok, A LOT. They had a single quote they are basing that on, which is:

“The FAA's innovative approach to drone registration was very reasonable, and registration provides for accountability and education to drone pilots,” DJI’s head of policy Brendan Schulman said in an email to Recode."

Just sounds like DJI didn't think the registration was THAT bad and as such did not hurt the hobby. It does NOT sound like they are upset about it being reversed either.

Also the drone industry has some legit fears that they will be regulated away at the state level, FAA regulation prevented that. While model airplanes generally require some facilities that can put a curb to impolite RC plane usage, drones and basically takeoff and land anywhere. All it takes is a couple drones flown in an unsafe manner to get states to start cracking down anyway they can. Things like drones crashing into highway lanes (as has happened at the golden gate bridge), etc, present real safety hazards.
 
Also the drone industry has some legit fears that they will be regulated away at the state level, FAA regulation prevented that. While model airplanes generally require some facilities that can put a curb to impolite RC plane usage, drones and basically takeoff and land anywhere. All it takes is a couple drones flown in an unsafe manner to get states to start cracking down anyway they can. Things like drones crashing into highway lanes (as has happened at the golden gate bridge), etc, present real safety hazards.

No it did not. FAA rules are country wide, that does not stop each state or even city from passing its own rules/laws on drones. Most cities as it stands now already have massive no fly zones with far more regulation. So the states have to follow at minimum the FAA rules, but it in no way barred them from making even more strict rules.
 
If someone was going to do something iffy with the [gun], they are not going to register it, or at least not have its ID tag on. And aside from putting in CC info and clicking "submit", there is no education happening.
Same should be said for the second amendment.
 
Same should be said for the second amendment.

States that require registration for guns happen at the point of sale, or you can not buy the item. Drones on the other hand are done at will. A number of states also do not require registration at all for guns, however I am not sure how that applies to drones at all and is quite OT.
 
States that require registration for guns happen at the point of sale, or you can not buy the item. Drones on the other hand are done at will. A number of states also do not require registration at all for guns, however I am not sure how that applies to drones at all and is quite OT.
I dunno. Firearms are already regulated at a federal level and it didn't stop some individual states from further regulating everything.
 
Drone industry is upset? Uh what? Look at every RC forum on the internet and drone pilots are rejoicing...
 
Drone industry is upset? Uh what? Look at every RC forum on the internet and drone pilots are rejoicing...

I have no issues with it, as long as people keep them under 300' AGL - away from departure / landing runways.

/pretty much not an issue for anyone with an IQ above room temperature
 
States that require registration for guns happen at the point of sale, or you can not buy the item. Drones on the other hand are done at will. A number of states also do not require registration at all for guns, however I am not sure how that applies to drones at all and is quite OT.


No they don't. In Michigan (which there is a bill to end firearm registration going on right now, fingers crossed) when you buy a pistol you either get a ri-60 if you have a cpl or you but from an ffl dealer. If you have no cpl and but from a private party then you have to get a license to purchase from a local police station, and once you buy the pistol you dorm the ltp to the same police station you received the ltp from. You have ten days to turn in the paperwork from date of sale.
 
No they don't. In Michigan (which there is a bill to end firearm registration going on right now, fingers crossed) when you buy a pistol you either get a ri-60 if you have a cpl or you but from an ffl dealer. If you have no cpl and but from a private party then you have to get a license to purchase from a local police station, and once you buy the pistol you dorm the ltp to the same police station you received the ltp from. You have ten days to turn in the paperwork from date of sale.

Yall still don't get it. Thats the whole point, each state can still make its own laws or regulation, no matter if the FAA rule exists or not.
 
Yall still don't get it. Thats the whole point, each state can still make its own laws or regulation, no matter if the FAA rule exists or not.

I didn't reference the done part, so why quote me? I was explaining to someone about firearm registration in Michigan. Also, Michigan is working on preemption negate some of these little shit hole cities around here are trying to ban drones.
 
A court has ruled that the drone registration process no longer applies to hobbyists and other amateur, non-commercial flyers: lawmakers decided that doing so violated 2012’s FAA Modernization and Reform Act. That statute prohibits the FAA from passing any rules on the operation of model aircraft, which includes drones flown only for giggles. The drone industry is not pleased with this decision, however, as registration provides for both accountability and education to pilots.

…if a person buys a new drone to fly for fun, they no longer have to register that aircraft with the FAA. But if flying for commercial purposes, drone buyers still need to register. The lawsuit was won by John Taylor, a model aircraft enthusiast, who brought the case against the FAA in January 2016. Since first opening the FAA’s registration system in December 2015, more than 820,000 people have registered to fly drones. Perhaps surprisingly, the drone industry isn’t thrilled with the court’s order to end registration.
Perfect, now I can work on taking them out of the sky without incurring the wrath of the FAA.
 
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