I do not feel the need to register my "toys" with the Feds
I generally feel the government does not do things simply to make us safer.
Generally it does things to make revenue or exert unnecessary or unConstitutional control, with "public safety" as the front. While most were predictably suckered in by the $5.00 "early sucker fee refund", I'm pretty sure that this whole thing was designed to make money
eventually. It wouldn't surprise me if drone operator fines end up financing the FAA and then some. After all, there are more drone operators now than pilots by a wide margin. And the FAA can't afford to lose it's pilots in significant numbers....but drone operators, lol, you are 100% expendable.
IMO, This was just another government trick, power/money grab. Nearly 45,000 people were killed in auto accidents in 2015. Yet no "significant" laws pertaining to one rising cause (texting while driving) has been introduced in the 50 states. Only a few weak ones. Why?
Drunk driving, one of the MAJOR known causes of auto related fatalities that wrecks tens of thousands of lives annually has maximum fines of 10,000 in most states. I have personally seen people caught over the legal limit and released by LEOs. (madness)
Meanwhile, how many deaths related to drones have occurred? None.
Yet the FINE for being caught flying an un-registered toy can reach $250,000??....while the fine for being caught texting while driving maxes out at $150 in most states with little or no enforcement.
This is pure, in your face, unadulterated madness folks.
Beginning December 21, 2015, the FAA will require all drones ("SUA" in FAA terminology) weighing between 0.55 and 55 pounds to be registered before operating outdoors. Failure to register can result in stiff penalties, which can include fines of up to $27,000 or, where criminal liability has been found, a fine of up to $250,000 and up to three years in jail.
These penalties are stiffer than standard maximum Drunk driving AND Texting While Driving fines COMBINED !!
If you don't find this odd, I question you. You've been had....willingly in most cases. THIS is prima facie evidence of government gone awry. Who, in their right mind, can argue this?
Will it stop morons from doing stupid things? Sure it will. because "morons" and "idiots" are known to follow rules and terrorist always follow regulations. I could explain what could have been done instead, but this post is already too long.
Let's see what happens over the next 12 months in terms of people being fined for all kinds of silly infractions now that authorities can nail the owner. We've already seen the FAA's willingness to levy a 1.9 MILLION dollar fine for simply flying a drone without hurting anyone and $10,000 fine for another so they DEFINITELY are seeing a cash cow. Should be interesting. The scariest part of ALL of this for me is the number of people who eagerly jumped on the "chance" to register.
My drones are parked as of today. The law "might" be amended to include and enforce registration for simple ownership soon tho.
Obviously, I'm not happy with this