Really.....What is gained by registering your drone?

Youngbill · Dec 16, 2015

They say it's to help educate and I get that part a bit but there are better ways to do that. But really, how does this help make anything safer? Will it cut down on the claimed "Near misses" or people flying over wild fires? Doubtful. They can't track the owner unless they actually have the drone. The registration numbers will not be visible from the ground or another aircraft.

I heard one of CNN's talking heads say "Registration is a good idea, now I'll know who's is flying over my house"........ Really?. How?

Also, who's going to enforce registration? Is a local cop going to be able to ask to see my registration? Do I even have to show him?

This whole thing seems like another government waste of time and money!

maxwell smart · Dec 16, 2015

Come the 21fst if no one registers the law is a fell your, and the FAA will have to rethink the hole thing.
But we all know that wont happen. If AMA would put out some kind of a letter telling every one not to register, and hold off a few days we could maybe make some kind of change.

msinger · Dec 16, 2015

Youngbill said:
But really, how does this help make anything safer? Will it cut down on the claimed "Near misses" or people flying over wild fires?

I think so. Most people will think twice about doing something stupid since their drone will now be tagged with their registration number.

GreggC · Dec 16, 2015

IMO,
Its like gun control,
The bad guys don't register their guns,
Do the Feds really think the hap-hazard drone flyer will register.
Of course they wont.
More Fed BS.

msinger · Dec 16, 2015

GreggC said:
Do the Feds really think the hap-hazard drone flyer will register.

I think that depends on your definition of haphazard. If that includes people who fly beyond LOS, fly at night, fly in densely populated locations, fly over crowds of people, etc., then, yes, many haphazard drone flyers are going to register.

GreggC · Dec 16, 2015

msinger said:
I think that depends on your definition of haphazard. If that includes people who fly beyond LOS, fly at night, fly in densely populated locations, fly over crowds of people, etc., then, yes, many haphazard drone flyers are going to register.

You just perfectly described the hap-hazard drone pilot.

msinger · Dec 16, 2015

I think I just described 90%+ of drone owners. I bet almost everyone has done one of those things.

WetDog · Dec 16, 2015

It doesn't do all that much - but it's always a balance between government intrusion, public safety and practicality. The requirements aren't particularly onerous and clearly anyone with malicious intent is not going to (properly) register the drone. But the majority of public idiot events (crashing a drone into a stadium, flying over the Macy's Day parade) are done by people that really aren't trying to hurt anybody, just not thinking well. The database MIGHT help law enforcement find these people a bit easier although they seem to be doing pretty well in that regard anyway.

Much of the impetus to do this, I think, is that the US considers the airspace to be a very highly regulated concept. And to regulate, you have to register. If the UAVs stayed out of the public airspace, I think this would be a non issue. But that hasn't happened, so it's an issue. The FAA feels like it has to do something. It could have taken the tack it did with RC aircraft and model rockets, but the drone population is going to handily outstrip those hobbies and is going to be composed of lots of different kinds of people. Including the kinds of people that don't Read The Fine Manual.

It's a compromise. Everybody hates it.

Mark The Droner · Dec 16, 2015

What is gained is the reduced risk of this:

Failure to register an aircraft may result in regulatory and criminal sanctions. The FAA may assess civil penalties up to $27,500. Criminal penalties include fines of up to $250,000 and/or imprisonment for up to three years.